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- Herausgeber: Andura Publishing
- Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020
A true and powerful story of the resilience of the human spirit. An American classic.
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Incidents Connected with the Life of Selim Aga,
A Native of Central Africa:
Selim Aga
DEDICATION.
TO MRS. THURBURN.
MURTLE, June, 1846.
MADAM,--Having written a short account of some incidents connected with my life, I return my grateful and sincere thanks to you for the great interest you have taken in my education, by which means I have been brought from African darkness to a knowledge of the comforts of a civilized and social life. Hitherto, for these ten years, I have experienced your benevolent care and tuition, and have been elevated far above many of my poor countrymen, whose minds are lying with the dust. To whom should I ascribe this work, if not to the patroness of my education? To whom should I dedicate these incidents, if not to the guardian of my younger years? Yes, Madam; to you, and to you alone, I now acknowledge my gratitude for the many benefits which I enjoy. Although far distant from kindred and relations--although far from the care of an overlooking mother--I have found in you, Madam,
Page iv
a truly good substitute for these wants. I have experienced your goodness in sending me to school, and putting me in the hands of one whose whole interest was absorbed in teaching the young idea how to shoot. In whatever circumstanees my lot may be cast, I hope your private admonitions will render me impregnable when attacked by the many vices prevalent in the world.
I have the honour to be,
MADAM,
Your most obedt. Servant,
SELIM AGA.
Page v
CONTENTS.
PREFACE,. . . . . viii
AGA'S RECOLLECTIONS--
Description of the Valley of Tegla and its Inhabitants,. . . . . 11
Personal History--Youth and Premature Slavery,. . . . . 17
ADDITIONAL POEMS,. . . . . 40
Page vii
PREFACE
IT is not the Author's intention to make great orations out of nothing, nor to picture the description of his country in eloquent language, but to give, in the form of recollections, a brief account of incidents connected with his own life. Having been urged by several friends to write an account of his life, he hopes that this small work will meet the approbation of all who read it. He will not fail, therefore, to make it as interesting as possible. The reader, however, must not expect something extraordinary when beginning to read this narrative. Great anxiety has been felt by geographical and other societies, to obtain an accurate knowledge
Page viii
of Africa and its products. Of these, the Author is sorry that he cannot satisfy his readers, having been taken away from his country at a very early age. Of all the quarters of the globe, Africa is the least known. Ignorance, barbarity, and superstition, prevail in its centre, and the unhealthy nature of its climate renders it almost impracticable for any European to travel into it, and satisfy an enquiring public. Taking a natural view of the country, it is barren, sandy, and mountainous, interspersed with a few green spots, called oases, or made fertile by the inundation of some river in the rainy season. Taking an artificial view of those regions, you will perceive nothing but a few small huts here and there, built by the inhabitants for their own accommodation. The Northern and Southern States can boast of a little civilization, being frequented
Page ix
and inhabited by the dwellers of the north temperate zone. In taking a political view of the centre of Africa, the enquirer will find the country divided into a number of small principalities, who maintain their dignity by making war against each other. The captives taken in these wars are sold as slaves, being purchased by Arabs and Turks on the east coast, and Spaniards, Portuguese, and Americans, on the west. Thus many of these poor creatures are brought to a level with the brute beasts, by the inhabitants of that federal government, (the United States), who pretend to profess the principles of freedom and Christianity in their truest light. The selling of these captives stimulates others to kidnap some of the poor natives, and carry on a brutal traffic in buying and selling human victims for the gratification of their own
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ambitious propensities. In this manner the fate of the author was sealed. The author will proceed to detail the events of his history in the form of recollections.
SELIM AGA.
Page 11
AGA'S RECOLLECTIONS.
DESCRIPTION OF THE VALLEY OF TEGLA, AND
ITS INHABITANTS.
