330 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA 
large coffle of slaves, each of whom had to de- 
plore being torn from some near and dear ob- 
ject of their affections, and from their naked- 
ness, want of proper nourishment, and being 
exposed to almost constant rain for two days 
and nights, they presented a group of beings 
reduced to the very lowest ebb of human suf- 
fering. 
I lost no time in repairing to Baquelle for the 
purpose of effecting my speedy return from that 
place over land to the Gambia, but found that 
such a step was rendered totally impossible by 
the state of war and confusion in which all the 
surrounding countries were then involved, both 
among themselves, and with, the French at all 
their settlements on the Senegal. They had a 
few days previous to my leaving Kaarta totally 
destroyed the town of Baquelle in revenge for 
the assassination of one of their officers, and 
were concerting measures in conjunction with 
Bondoo for an attack on Tuabo I was there- 
* This event took place on the 4th August, by a smart 
cannonade from the French brig, and an assault by the Bondoo 
army (amounting to nearly three thousand men), a spirited sortie 
made by about one hundred of the besieged, put the whole 
army of Bondoo to flight and took several prisoners, whom they 
immediately butchered in front of the brig, which, although 
moored within musket shot of the shore, was not fired on by 
the people of the town, with whom the French commandant 
found it necessary to n\ake peace in a few days afterwards. 
