The Journal
Kenneth A. Ritley — Independent Study
For reasons of posterity, I feel it justified to give freely my account of what happened to me, in the form of a journal which I kept all during that bewildering time.
Dec. 15, 1983
I am now glad to have regained my liberty, this fifteenth day in the last month of the nineteen hundred, fourscore and third year of our Lord.
I awoke in my cell a full and rested man, for the food served to us was impeccable and very strange for a jail, where I thought there would be no nourishment of any sort. Upon returning back to my room from the mess-hall, I saw my good barrister present some type of bill or writ to my jailor, another African, but one whom I did not care much for; upon the receipt of which he motioned to his associate-jailors that I be removed.
I was taken to still another room, where I was presented with a brown bag, in which were contained my possessions. I was also given a five-pound note, much to my surprise, for evidently they reconciled that some harm in my detainment might have come and they were sincere and wished forgiveness. I graciously accepted the money and my valuables, though many of them were not, and bid them escort me to the door where I was thus set free.
Of course I, Kenneth Ritley, being a charitable person, tried in every manner possible to give my African, the six men and one stranger, my barrister, the hand-washer manservant, and even the moron, some small monetary token of my gratitude, but they would have none of it and instead bid me that I should keep the money, which I did, and used it to live off of for near half of an active life, for five pounds was so extraordinary large a sum.
End of Journal