INTERIOR OF AFRICA. 1 73 
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, belong- 
ing 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, I 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 escap- 
ing, 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 happen : such was my situation. An 
indifference about life, and all its enjoyments, had completely 
benumbed my faculties, and 1 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 considered 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 day, and to protect me from the musketoes in 
