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Nature of the Country Resumption of the March A Hunt Bombay and Baraka The Slave-Hunters The Ivory-Merchants Collection of Natural-History Specimens A Frightened Village Tracking a Mule.
It is doubtful whether any human being had ever fully explored this extensive swamp; and Dan was confident that, if he could succeed in making his way with the Isabel to a distance of two or three miles from the lake, his party would be free from intrusion, unless, indeed, the slave-hunters made a business of driving them from their covert.
While making our plans, we were greatly relieved, to find that the well known Quaker conductor, William Beard, was in the city, with a load of produce from his farm. This covered market-wagon was a safe car, that had borne many hundreds to his own depot, and was now ready for more valuable freight before the city should be filled with slave-hunters.
With sad hearts they returned to the camp. Dan was nearly exhausted by the fatigue and anxiety of the last two days; but he could not sleep while there was any thing to be done to prepare for the expected visit of the slave-hunters. His first care was to put all the arms and ammunition in readiness. He then showed Lily how to load a gun, that she might assist them in the defence.
At that point seven different streams converge into one channel, which forms the great river Sobat. It is my opinion that some of these streams are torrents from the Galla country, while others are the continuation of those southern rivers which have lately been crossed by the slave-hunters between the second and third degrees of N. latitude.
"We have defeated the slave-hunters twice, and we can do it again," said he, as he rose from his seat at the cabin table, around which, as Dan ate his supper, the party had considered their sad and perilous condition. "It's terrible to think of poor Quin," said Lily. "He was so good and kind." "And we have one arm less to assist in our defence. Don't cry any more, Lily.
"Came up with a party." "Seen ary runaway nigger in the water?" "No," shouted Dan, promptly. The question filled him with hope, for it assured him the slave-hunters had not been near enough even to hear the report of the fowling-pieces when he fired them; or, at least, not near enough to discover who had fired them. "Didn't ye see him?" asked the pursuers again. "No." "Gossifus!
The fact of their having been kidnapped by the slave-hunters destroys all confidence, and they cannot understand their true position.
It was thus that all tribes were rendered hostile by the slave-hunters. This person was a curious but useful character that I had always wished to employ, as he had great power with the natives, and he knew every nook and corner of the country. I had known him during my former journey, and it appears that he had always wished to serve me in the present expedition.
We were also perfectly aware of the startling fact, that had we left without this consent the professional slave-hunters would have soon had their ferocious bloodhounds baying on our track, and in a short time we should have been dragged back to slavery, not to fill the more favourable situations which we had just left, but to be separated for life, and put to the very meanest and most laborious drudgery; or else have been tortured to death as examples, in order to strike terror into the hearts of others, and thereby prevent them from even attempting to escape from their cruel taskmasters.
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