CHAPTER SIX.
I AM GIVEN AS A SLAVE TO THE OLD KING'S FAVOURITE, WHYNA--ASSIST MYYOUNG MISTRESS TO MAKE HER TOILET--HOLD FREQUENT CONVERSATIONS WITH HER,AND BECOME STRONGLY ATTACHED TO HER--MY HATRED AND DREAD OF THE OLD KINGINCREASE--HE SHOOTS A MAN WITH BIRD-ARROWS.
One morning, after we had been about three weeks in these comfortablequarters, I was summoned away from my companions into the presence ofthe king. When I came before him a small manacle was fixed round myleft ankle, and another round my left wrist, with a light chainconnecting the two. A circle of feathers was put round my head, and aloose cloth wrapped round my loins. I was then led forward to him withmy arms crossed over my breast, and my head bowed. By his orders I wasthen placed behind the youngest of the four women, the one who hadchafed my wrists, and I was given to understand that I was her slave,and was to attend upon her, to which, I must say, I gave a joyful assentin my heart, although I did not at that time show any signs of gladness.There I remained, with my arms folded, and bowed as before, untildinner was brought in, and a calabash full of cush-cush was put into myhands to place before the king and his wives. My first attempt atservice was not very adroit, for, in my eagerness to do my duty, Itripped over the corner of the mat which served them for a table, andtumbling headlong forward, emptied the calabash of cush-cush which Iheld in my hand upon the legs of the old king, who sat opposite to whereI was advancing. He jumped up roaring out with anger, while I in myfear sprung on my legs, and rushed to the side of the apartment,expecting immediate death. Fortunately the victuals in this country arealways served up cool, and my new mistress easily obtained my pardon,laughing heartily at the scene, and at my apprehension.
The repast being over, I was ordered to follow my mistress, who retiredto another hut, according to their custom, to sleep during the heat ofthe day. I was placed before the door to prevent her being disturbed.My only duty now was to attend upon my young mistress. She was theking's favourite wife, and as she was uniformly kind and gentle, Ishould have almost ceased to lament my loss of liberty had it not beenfrom the fear I had of the old monarch. I knew that my preservationdepended entirely upon my mistress's favour, and I endeavoured all Icould to conciliate her by the most sedulous attentions to please.Young and generous in disposition, she was easily satisfied by my readyobedience and careful service. I do not think that she was more thanseventeen years of age; but they are women at fourteen in that country,and even earlier. She was a Negress as to colour, but not a realNegress; for her hair, although short and very wavy, was not woolly, andher nose was straight. Her mouth was small, and her teeth beautiful.Her figure was perfect, her limbs being very elegantly formed. When shefirst rose in the morning, I attended her to the brow of a hill justwithout the palisades, where with devout but mistaken piety she adoredthe rising sun--at least it appeared to me that she did so. She thenwent down to the river to bathe, and as soon as her hair was dry she hadit dressed. This office, after a short time, devolved upon me, and Ibecame very expert, having to rub her hair with a sweet oil, and thenroll it up in its natural curls with a quill, so as to dispose them tothe most fanciful advantage as to form.
After her toilet was complete, she went to feed her poultry, and someantelopes and other beasts, and then she practised at a mark with herbow and arrows and javelin till about ten o'clock, when she went to theking's hut, and they all sat down to eat together. After the repast,which lasted some time, if she did not repose with the king, she retiredto her own hut, where she usually refreshed herself till about fouro'clock, when she returned to the king, or ranged the woods, orotherwise amused herself during the rest of the evening. I will say forthe old savage that he did not confine his wives. Such was our generalcourse of life, and wherever she went I attended her. The attachment Ishowed and really felt for her secured her confidence, and she alwaystreated me in a kind and familiar manner. Their language consists offew words compared to our own, and in a short time, by help of signs, weunderstood each other tolerably well. She appeared to have a mostardent curiosity to know who we were, and from whence we came, and allthe time that we passed alone was employed in putting questions, and myendeavouring to find out her meaning and answer them. This, althoughvery difficult at first, I was eventually enabled to accomplishindifferently well. She was most zealous in her mistaken religion, andone morning when I was following her to her devotions on the hill, sheasked me where my God was? I pointed upwards, upon which she told mewith great joy and innocency, that hers was there too, and that,therefore, they must be the same God, or if not they must be friends.Convinced that she was right, she made me worship with her, bowing myhead down to the sand, and going through the same forms, which of courseI did not understand the meaning of; but I prayed to my God, andtherefore made no objection, as it was pleasing to her. This apparentconformity in religion recommended me more strongly to her, and webecame more intimate, and I was certainly attached to her by every tieof gratitude. I was quite happy in the friendship and kindness sheshowed towards me; the only drawback was my fear of the proud old king,and the recollection of him often made me cheek myself, and suddenlyassume a more distant and respectful demeanour towards her. I soonfound out that she dreaded the old savage as much as I did, and hatedhim even more. In his presence she treated me very sternly, and orderedme about in a very dictatorial manner; but when we were alone, and hadno fear of being seen, she would then be very familiar, sometimes evenlocking her arm into mine, and laughing as she pointed out the contrastof the colours, and in the full gaiety of her young heart rejoicing thatwe were alone, and could converse freely together. As she was veryintelligent, she soon perceived that I possessed much knowledge that shedid not, and that she could not comprehend what I wanted to teach her.This induced her to look upon me with respect as well as kindness.
One day I purposely left her bow behind in the hut where my companionsresided; and on her asking me for it, I told her that I had done so, butthat I would make my companions send it without my going back. I toreoff a piece of the bark of a tree, and with the point of an arrow Iwrote to one of them, desiring him to send it by bearer; and calling ayoung Negro boy, told him in her presence to give that piece of bark tothe white man, and come back again to the queen. Whyna, for such wasthe name of my mistress queen, stood in suspense, waiting the result; ina few minutes the boy returned, bringing the bow. Astonished at this,she made me write again and again for her arrows, her lance, and manyother things. Finding by these being immediately sent that we had amethod of communicating with each other at a distance, she earnestlyinsisted upon being taught so surprising an art. Going at a distancefrom me, she ordered me to talk to her when out of hearing, and findingthat I could not, or, as she seemed to suppose, that I would not, shebecame discontented and out of humour. I could by no means make hercomprehend how it was performed, but I made her understand that as soonas I was fully acquainted with her language, I should be able to teachher. She was satisfied with this, but made me promise that I wouldteach nobody else.
By the canoes in the river, I easily made her comprehend that I came ina vast boat from a distant land, over a great expanse of water, and alsohow it was that we fell into the Negroes' power. I then found out fromher that the Negroes had pretended that we had invaded their land toprocure slaves, and that they had vanquished us in battle; hence theirsongs of triumph on bringing us to the king. I pointed out the heavenlybodies to her in the evenings, trying to make her comprehend somethingof their nature and motions, but in vain. This had, however, one goodeffect; she looked up to me with more respect, hoping that some day,when I could fully explain myself, she might be herself taught all thesewonders. With these feelings towards me, added to my sedulousendeavours to please her, and obey her slightest wishes, it is notsurprising that she treated me as a companion, and not as a slave, andgave me every innocent proof of her attachment. More I never wished,and almost dreaded that our intimacy would be too great. Happy whenalone with her, I ever returned with reluctance to
the presence of theold king, whose sight and company I dreaded.
The boundless cruelty of this monster was a continual check to all myhappiness. Accustomed to blood from his childhood, he appeared whollyinsensible to human feelings, and derided the agonies of the wretcheswho daily fell by his hands. One day he amused himself by shootingsmall bird-arrows at a man who was bound to a post before the tent,which was placed there for the punishment of those who were his victims.He continued for hours fixing the arrows in different parts of hisbody, mimicking and deriding his cries. At last, contrary to hisintentions, one of the arrows hit the man in the throat, and his headdrooped. As the old savage saw that the poor man was dying, he drewanother arrow and sent it through his heart, very much annoyed at hisdisappointment in not prolonging the poor creature's sufferings. I waswitness to this scene with silent horror, and many more of a similarnature. I hardly need say, that I felt what my punishment would be if Ihad by any means roused the jealousy of this monster; and I knew that,without giving him real cause, a moment of bare suspicion would besufficient to sacrifice my mistress as well as me.