me to
turn back. I stopped until they were all come up, when they informed me
that the King of the Foulahs had sent them on purpose to bring me,
my horse, and everything that belonged to me, to Fooladoo, and that
therefore I must turn back, and go along with them. Without hesitating a
moment, I turned round and followed them, and we travelled together near
a quarter of a mile without exchanging a word. When coming to a dark
place of the wood, one of them said, in the Mandingo language, "This
place will do," and immediately snatched my hat from my head. Though
I was by no means free of apprehension, yet I resolved to show as few
signs of fear as possible; and therefore told them, unless my hat was
returned to me, I should go no farther. But before I had time to receive
an answer, another drew his knife, and seizing upon a metal button which
remained upon my waistcoat, cut it off, and put it in his pocket. Their
intention was now obvious, and I thought that the more easily they were
permitted to rob me of everything, the less I had to fear. I therefore
allowed them to search my pockets without resistance, and examine every
part of my apparel, which they did with scrupulous exactness. But
observing that I had one waistcoat under another, they insisted that I
should cast them both off; and at last, to make sure work, stripped me
quite naked. Even my half-boots (though the sole of one of them was tied
to my foot with a broken bridle-rein) were narrowly inspected. Whilst
they were examining the plunder, I begged them with great earnestness to
return my pocket compass; but when I pointed it out to them, as it was
lying on the ground, one of the banditti thinking I was about to take it
up, cocked his musket, and swore that he would lay me dead on the spot
if I presumed to lay my hand on it. After this some of them went away
with my horse, and the remainder stood considering whether they should
leave me quite naked, or allow me something to shelter me from the sun.
Humanity at last prevailed; they returned me the worst of the two shirts
and a pair of trowsers; and, as they went away, one of them threw back
my hat, in the crown of which I kept my memorandums; and this was
probably the reason they did not wish to keep it. After they were
gone, I sat for some time looking around me with amazement and terror;
whichever way I turned, nothing appeared but danger and difficulty. I
saw myself in the midst of a vast wilderness in the dept