CHAPTER VII.
Unfortunate Affair at Samba Contaye — Almamy’s Decision — Purchase of a Slave — Arrival of the French Expedition at Galam — Mr. Pilkington’s determination of leaving the Mission — His Departure for the Coast — Visit to the Senegal — Conversation with Almamy — Messenger sent to Mr. Dochard — Fires at the Camp — Death of Almamy Amady.
Another circumstance occurred during this month, which, although wholly accidental, was by no means calculated to inspire the natives with a friendly feeling towards us, and would, I feared, previous to its being arranged, have only furnished Almamy with a second opportunity of falling out with us. In this, however, I was fortunately mistaken, as he not only judged the affair impartially, but expressed his sorrow that I should have punished the man even by confinement for a few days.
It was on the morning of the 25th, when sitting outside the door of my hut, half asleep from extreme debility, I was aroused by the report of a musket within the fence of the camp, followed by the shrieks of women and the bustle of my men running from all quarters, where they had been either on duty or amusing themselves, and seizing their arms. Such preparations on their part led me to suppose we had been attacked. I therefore ran into my hut for my arms, and without delay proceeded to the spot where all seemed to be directing their steps.
On my arrival at the place where the market was usually held, under the shade of a large acacia, about two hundred yards outside our fence, I found a woman lying dead, a musket ball having passed through her head. She had just disposed of a little corn, and was sitting on the ground in the crowd, tying up a few beads she had received in exchange, when she received the fatal wound.
On my inquiring by whom it was done, one of my own men (Shaw, a black soldier), answered from within his hut, that it was his rifle which went off while he was cleaning the brasses of it. Some men of the town who were present, and armed, as they always are, shewed symptoms of wishing to take steps of retaliation, under the impression, no doubt, that it had been done designedly. One or two Marabouts, who were also present, and on whom I called to assist me in preventing unnecessary effusion of blood, persuaded them to desist, assuring them that every satisfaction would be given. My first step was to order Shaw into confinement, and send for Osman, to consult what was necessary to be done. On his arrival at my hut, where the Marabouts were awaiting him at my request, I stated the unfortunate occurrence precisely as it had taken place, pointing out to him the position of the deceased in the market, and that of the prisoner in his hut, through the side of which, being composed of straw, the ball had passed.
The Marabouts fully corroborated my statement, by relating every circumstance with the most minute exactness, and gave it as their opinion, that the thing occurred wholly by accident: but as the deceased was a slave belonging to some of the inhabitants of a neighbouring village, it would be necessary for me to send a person to acquaint them with the affair, and despatch without delay a messenger to Almamy, requesting him to have the business tried and decided on immediately. Both these injunctions I complied with at the moment, and gave the prisoner into the hands of Osman, who expressed a wish that I might keep him myself, which I could have done, but I preferred acting otherwise, as I was aware that the inhabitants of the country at large, and particularly those people to whom the woman belonged, would be more satisfied by his being in their own hands, at least in those of one of their chiefs. The poor fellow himself, was at first much frightened, and would, I am convinced, have willingly given up his own life to restore that of the woman, were it then possible. Osman told him, although the accident was of an extremely unpleasant nature to all concerned, and particularly to him (Shaw), it was, nevertheless, one which so purely evinced the hand of the Almighty God, that he had nothing to fear, as he was sure Almamy would see the thing in its proper light, and judge accordingly.
The following morning, the men, both free and slaves, of the village to which the unfortunate woman belonged, came to our camp, to the number of sixty or seventy, all armed, and in a very haughty manner demanded justice, which one of them, an old man, who appeared to be their speaker, said was nothing more than handing over the prisoner to them, to be treated as they might think fit; as in this case, the law said, “when one slave,” in which light they looked upon all my men, both black and white, “killed another, the survivor became the property of the person to whom the deceased belonged, who might either kill, sell, or keep him.”
I had much difficulty in persuading them that all my men were as free as myself, and that I could not now take any step, until I had received an answer from Almamy, to whom I had sent a messenger. Osman, who had heard of their arrival, came up at that moment, and finding them much inclined to add violence to insolent language, ordered them, in a very peremptory tone, to return to their village, and leave the settlement of the affair exclusively to him, who alone, from its having happened in his district and with his strangers (meaning us), had the right of interfering. Although they went away immediately, I was sorry to see them do so with so much reluctance, and with such evident dissatisfaction at the unfortunate affair, as well as at the indifferent reception they met with. I therefore requested Osman to accompany them for a short distance, and endeavour to convince them that it was my wish to render every satisfaction the laws of the country demanded, and make the owner of the deceased as ample recompense as it was in my power to do.