to refinement, I hope the account I have given of this poor African
will not be unacceptable.

No European vessel had arrived at Gambia for many months previous to
my return from the interior, and as the rainy season was now setting
in I persuaded Karfa to return to his people at Jindey. He parted
with me on the 14th with great tenderness; but as I had little hopes
of being able to quit Africa for the remainder of the year, I told
him, as the fact was, that I expected to see him again before my
departure. In this, however, I was luckily disappointed, and my
narrative now hastens to its conclusion; for on the 15th, the ship
Charlestown, an American vessel, commanded by Mr. Charles Harris,
entered the river. She came for slaves, intending to touch at Goree
to fill up, and to proceed from thence to South Carolina. As the
European merchants on the Gambia had at this time a great many
slaves on hand, they agreed with the captain to purchase the whole
of his cargo, consisting chiefly of rum and tobacco, and deliver him
slaves to the amount in the course of two days. This afforded me
such an opportunity of returning, though by a circuitous route, to
my native country as I thought was not to be neglected. I therefore
immediately engaged my passage in this vessel for America; and
having taken leave of Dr. Laidley, to whose kindness I was so
largely indebted, and my other friends on the river, I embarked at
Kayee on the 17th day of June.

Our passage down the river was tedious and fatiguing; and the
weather was so hot, moist, and unhealthy, that before our arrival at
Goree four of the seamen, the surgeon, and three of the slaves had
died of fevers. At Goree we were detained, for want of provisions,
until the beginning of October.