On the morning of the 17th, a circumstance occurred, which wrought a
considerable change in my favour. The three trading Moors who had lodged
under Karfa's protection, ever since their arrival at Kamalia, and had
gained the esteem of all the Bushreens, by an appearance of great
sanctity, suddenly packed up their effects, and, without once thanking
Karfa for his kindness towards them, marched over the hills to Bala.
Every one was astonished at this unexpected removal; but the affair was
cleared up in the evening, by the arrival of the Fezzan merchant from
Kancaba, (mentioned in p. 269;) who assured Karfa, that these Moors had
borrowed all their salt and goods from him, and had sent for him to come
to Kamalia, and receive payment. When he was told that they had fled to
the westward, he wiped a tear from each eye with the sleeve of his cloak,
and exclaimed, "These _shirukas_ (robbers) are Mahomedans, but they are
not men: they have robbed me of two hundred minkallies." From this
merchant I received information of the capture of our Mediterranean
convoy by the French, in October 1795.

April 19th. The long-wished-for day of our departure was at length
arrived; and the Slatees having taken the irons from their slaves,
assembled with them at the door of Karfa's house, where the bundles were
all tied up, and every one had his load assigned him. The coffle, on its
departure from Kamalia, consisted of twenty-seven slaves for sale, the
property of Karfa and four other Slatees: but we were afterwards joined
by five at Maraboo, and three at Bala: making in all thirty-five slaves.
The free men were fourteen in number, but most of them had one or two
wives and some domestic slaves; and the schoolmaster, who was now upon
his return for Woradoo, the place of his nativity, took with him eight of
his scholars, so that the number of free people and domestic slaves
amounted to thirty-eight, and the whole amount of the coffle was
seventy-three. Among the freemen were six Jilli keas, (singing men) whose