an express the joy he felt on my recovery; and
who, possessing a spark of gratitude, could help returning it but by the
most inviolable attachment and devoted zeal? It was his sympathy for me
in all my sufferings that had so powerful a claim on my feelings and
affections, and taught me to be grateful to him in hours of darkness and
distress, when pecuniary recompense was entirely out of the question.
The great sufferings, both mental and bodily, I had undergone at the
death and burial of my master, and the constant agitation in which
I was kept, occasioned a rapid increase in my disorder; and on the
16th I could with difficulty crawl round my hut, and was obliged to
lay myself on my mat, from which I had not strength to arise till the
27th; old Pascoe, during that period, being very kind and attentive
to me.
In the course of this day (27th) the Gadado, Malem Moodie, and Sidi
Sheik, came with a commission from the sultan to search my boxes, as he
had been informed they were filled with gold and silver; but, to their
great amazement, found I had not sufficient money to defray my expenses
to the sea-coast. They, however, took an inventory of all my articles,
and carried it to Bello. The gold watch intended for him, and the
private watches of Captains Clapperton and Pearce, I had taken the
precaution to conceal about my person. In a short time the Gadado
and his companions returned with a message from the sultan, commanding
me to deliver to them the following articles, viz. a rifle-gun,
double-barrelled ditto, two bags of ball, a canister of powder, a bag
of flints, a ream and a half of paper, and six gilt chains, for which
he promised to give me whatever I might ask. I consequently charged him
245,000 cowries, which I was to receive from Hadji Hat Sallah, at Kano;
and an order was given me to receive this sum, and, what more I might
require in my journey over the Great Desert. A letter was also sent by
me to Hadji Hat Sallah.
* * * * *
SONG.
My Mary of the curling hair,
The laughing teeth, and bashful air,
Our bridal morn is dawning fair,
With blushes in the skies.
_Shule! Shule! Shule, agra!
Shule asucur, agus shule, aroon!_[2]
My love! my pearl!
My own dear girl!
My mountain maid arise!
Wake, linnet of the osier grove!
Wake, trembling, stainless, virgin dove!
Wake, nestling of a parent's love!
Let Moran see thine eyes.
_Shule, Shule,
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