INTERIOR OF AFRICA. I73 
frequently listening and looking behind me for the Moorish 
horsemen, until I was about a mile from the town, when I was 
surprised to find myself in the neighbourhood of a Korree, 
belonging to the Moors. The shepherds followed me for 
about a mile, hooting and throwing stones after me ; and 
when I was out of their reach, and had begun to indulge 
the pleasing hopes of escaping, 1 was again greatly alarmed 
to hear somebody holla behind me ; and looking back, I saw 
three Moors on horseback, coming after me at full speed ; 
hooping and brandishing their double-barrelled guns. I knew 
it was in vain to think of escaping, and therefore turned back 
and met them : when two of them caught hold of my bridle, 
one on each side, and the third, presenting his musket, told me 
I must go back to Ali. When the human mind has for some 
time been fluctuating between hope and despair, tortured with 
anxiety, and hurried from one extreme to another, it affords a 
sort of gloomy relief to know the worst that can possibly hap- 
pen: such was my situation. An indifference about life, and 
all its enjoyments, had completely benumbed my faculties, and 
I rode back with the Moors with apparent unconcern. But 
a change took place much sooner than I had any reason to 
expect. In passing through some thick bushes, one of the 
Moors ordered me to untie my bundle, and shew them the 
contents. Having examined the different articles, they found 
nothing worth taking except my cloak, which they consi- 
dered as a very valuable acquisition, and one of them pulling 
it from me, wrapped it about himself This cloak had been of 
great use to me; it served to cover me from the rains in the 
