104
POST CAPTAINS OF 1823.
our little store of rice and cusscussoo[1], laughing at our complaints,, and well knowing that our poverty prevented the redress which we should otherwise have sought and obtained.
Mr. Ritchie was confined to his bed for 58 days. By the 20th of August he had tolerably recovered, though Lieutenant Lyon observed, with much regret, that his late and frequent disorders appeared to have very materially depressed his spirits, insomuch, that he almost constantly remained secluded in his own apartment, silent, unoccupied, and averse to every kind of society.
“Being now reduced to the last extremity, and Mr. Ritchie not thinking it right to draw for money on the Treasury, I drew a bill on my own private account, for 20l., with which we proceeded immediately to the Sultan, hoping it would have the desired effect; Mr. Ritchie having before explained to him, that if he accommodated us with 80 dollars, and sent the draft to his (the Sultan’s) wife, who was then resident at Tripoli, she would instantly receive the amount from the British Consul. He still, however, refused to assist us; when on a sudden, artfully pretending to mistake 80 for 8, he exclaimed, ‘Well! I did not think it necessary to draw a written agreement for so small a sum; I will advance the eight dollars you require, and you may return them when convenient.’ Further explanation to a man determined not to understand was wholly useless; and our poverty not allowing us to refuse the sum, however small, we accepted it; and immediately employed part of our newly acquired wealth in treating ourselves with a little meat. We determined to fatten our horses for sale, and to purchase some fowls and a milch ewe, as a resource against future illness. I often drenched the horses with water, when they were not thirsty, to increase their size and improve their appearance, and at length” (in October) “sold a grey one for seventy dollars, twenty of which, with a negress valued at 32, were paid to us on taking the animal away; the remainder was to be paid when the purchaser had sold his slaves. The girl was a native of Maudra, in Bornou, and about thirteen years of age. Mr. Ritchie was witness with Belford to my liberating her in due form from slavery; but as we were much in want of a servant, it was settled that she was not to return to her native country, my ticket of freedom being only to prevent all chance of her being sold. We economised, as well as we could, our small allowance of money, which, however, soon became much reduced, as we had incurred many debts, and now punctu-
- ↑ Flour prepared in a peculiar manner, so as to keep good as long as corn.
