HIS SUFFERINGS. HANDING. 391 
began to despond, and it seemed to him that no 
alternative remained but to lie down, and perish. 
In this forlorn situation, he was solely supported 
and animated by the consolations of religion. 
At the moment .when his mind was agitated by 
emotions of the most exquisite pain, when memo- 
ry represented his friends and native country, only 
to increase his sufferings by the torture of vain 
regret, the beauty of a small moss, in fructification, 
irresistibly attracted his attention ; and though 
the whole plant was not larger than the tip of his 
finger, he could not contemplate the delicate con^ 
formation of the root, leaves, and capsula, with- 
out admiration. He then thought — Can the Be- 
ing who planted, watered, and brought to perfec- 
tion, in this obscure part of the world, a thing 
which appears of so small importance, look with 
unconcern on the situation and sufferings of be- 
ings formed after his own image ? He sprung up 
with renovated hopes, and, travelling forward, 
soon reached a village, whence he proceeded to 
Sibidooloo, which he reached in the evening. 
Sibidooloo, the frontier town of Manding, is si- 
tuated in a fertile valley, circumscribed by ele- 
vated rocky grounds, which are scarcely accessible 
to horse. It had never been plundered in the 
wars of the Bambarrans, Foulhas, and Man- 
dingoes. He stated his situation to the Dooty, 
who interested himself in his cause with great 
