Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-04-04

of"Akimpon," and expired: ,..os ofI
Nv ,b,s time some OF the female slaves OF
Coomba returned from the p'antalms3 w"'.e
thew had becn working, and, giving the chiia 10
ON. of hem she desired the others TO assis, III
| ~ r,nn;no nm III. body in clean but coarse
cloth They all however, s,ood looking al sa.n
other and the woman in,rusted with 'e e"n NV.
seemed afraid 10 touch it.. -Coomoa rei'eia'.u
| her commands: this produced.a generai m"'u
| inp and sulkiness; and al last when 'hei, n''S
tress insisted upon an exPianatioh,'ney an o
on, a. once s i, was with difficulty she gathered
! from Them, that they had seen this poor OBJ
for two DAYS wandering in the forest, and ihey
we're sure she was "a witch;t that they OF course
refused her assistance, and, in fact, had he'd
| from her whenever she came near them, ana as
70 touching her, "lhey should not do II, mol
they; how did the mistress know but that Tue
wicked spirit would pass into ihem!" COON.
ba tried threats. inireaties, al brides, out al
in vain; at last she sent Tor a tehshmah. VI
priest. and ordering palm-wine,to be set oeiore
him, and making display of weighing goio,
dust: she soon persuaded him to guarantee all
who touched the body from the evil spirit; Tor
as 10 convincing them that thepoof woIna" vas
not witch, she knew that To he VAN at'ehP'
and, indeed, when Coomba herself retecteo OH
the sudden and extraordinary appearance Oh
the stranger, she began 10 DOUBT IL IL were ho'
something supernatural. She was not, however,
less kind 10 the little girl, whom she named
Amba, from her having arrived on Saturdays
| The mother was buriec under large mimosa,
| ne, very far from the town. custom (or least
| inp) oraced her funeral; the means and tears
! of her orphan formed her only lament, and peo
ple soon ceased TO talk Of her, except when oc-
casonally passing her grave, at which time
they would hudde together and whisper her
history; and not one would-ihve yentured alone
near the spot after sunset
| Coomba soon found that the prejudice OF her
neighbours and slaves against the offspring oil
witch was inveteraie, and therefore sent her 1T
| tie charge 10 a relation at Assema, paying
small sum monthly for her maintenance.
| During an interval Of ten years but Little &C.
| Cured: barbara approached manhood, and, re-
tanning his beauty of person was graceful and
| dgni6ed in his aeportment His mother had
no other hrir, and consequently his alliance was
sought blythe fathers OF those girls who were
marriageable Nor was he less favoarite a
mong the otheT Sex, and many a large, langus
| ing black eye had beanied with kindness upon
| him. many a string Of beads had been added to
| the neck and arfns many golden snake had
| been stuck in the hair: and many charm bad
been worked TO attract the youthful Tabara
He hirted and romprd with them all in their
turns; but to managed the plantations, TO dis
tinguish himself as marksmsn, hunter, and
a swimmer, seemed TO be- his only passion. He
was model Of agility and swif,ness; perfect in
all mauiy exercises; aud no less remarka bic for
his oraiory, considerable kindness 10 his Deepen
dants, and respect towards his superiors. He
was too young 10 be admitted to the council Of
elders but he would assemble the lads Of his
own age under large bantam; and many grave
pgnin, when passing by the group, rested bis
hands and chin upon his staff. and with plea
sure contemplated the promising talent Of the
youthful leader. Let il not be supposed, how
ever, that Tabara was perfect. No he was
rash, impe,uous, and foolhardy; he loved dan
ger for the sake of danger; he would provoke
the buffalo and the panther till miracle seem
ed the only thing which could save him. and he
was most egregious fop When in the town.
his hair was cut, or shaved, into the mos, fan
ciful patterns; his pagnes, cloths, were Of the
richest texture; he never suff red any thing bu,
silk to encircle his lo'ns his sandals were stud
ed with silver, his perfumes were all from Eu-
rope; and II was even whispered, that on occa-
,ions when he wished TO be particularly be-
witchIng, he besprinklcd his skin with gold,
| dust.
+ When Tarbara arrived at the acc of 8, the re
| latloh VINO nau reared y mDa, UlPd, ana DpmDG
was obliged To send for her profeges TO her own
house She hired ID five handed canne, and gi-
wing the men proper instructions, and adding
an aged female slave to the party, she despatch.
ed them Tor Amba, al the same time suppIyip ,
| the slave with the means OF contributing TO the
/ funeral rites. In i few weeks the canoe return.
ed, and the cries of the children of Addma anq
uouuced the arrival Of a stranger, as they flocked
to the beach TO crticise and behold her. Bu,
| Amha was almost hidden in the large cloth,
which we're thrown her head, and which
descended 10 her feet, She carried small cas-
k-, OF ornaments under her arm, and silently
/ followed The slave who had escorted her, and
who bore ON her head bundle of cloths, which
formed the garments Of Amba When they
reached Coomha's door, the crowd could ven
,ure no further: though many curly, black
mead was seen peeping in, TO catch glimpse of
the'ta figure which had glided so quietly along
the s'rrels. Coomha put out her hand, and
Amba fell on her knees and burst inro tears
! She was h,fnre her benelac iress, but tina, bepe-
| iact''ss was stranger. She had loved the
| good woman who had taken care of her, and in
losing her sac rad lost all that was dear TO her
! an The world She was Ola pensive and perhaps
A