E-text produced by Martin Schub
A NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES
OF VENTURE, A NATIVE OF AFRICA,
But resident above sixty years in the United States of America.
RELATED BY HIMSELF.
VENTURE SMITH
New London, 1798
PREFACE
The following account of the life of VENTURE, is a relation of simple
facts, in which nothing is in substance to what he relates himself.
Many other interesting and curious passages of his life might have
been inserted, but on account of the bulk to which they must
necessarily have swelled this narrative, they were omitted. If any
should suspect the truth of what is here related, they are referred to
people now living who are acquainted with most of the facts mentioned
in this narrative.
The reader is here presented with an account, not of a renowned
politician or warrior, but of an untutored African slave, brought into
this Christian country at eight years of age, wholly destitute of all
education but what he received in common with other domesticated
animals, enjoying no advantages that could lead him to suppose himself
superior to the beasts, his fellow servants. And if he shall enjoy no
other advantage from perusing this narrative, he may experience those
sensations of shame and indignation, that will prove him to be not
wholly destitute of every noble and generous feeling.
The subject of the following pages, had he received only a common
education, might have been a man of high respectability and
usefulness; and had his education been suited to his genius, he might
have been an ornament and an honor to human nature. It may perhaps,
not be unpleasing to see the efforts of a great mind wholly
uncultivated, enfeebled and depressed by slavery, and struggling under
every disadvantage. The reader may here see a Franklin and a
Washington, in a state of nature, or rather, in a state of slavery.
Destitute as he is of all education, he still exhibits striking traces
of native ingenuity and good sense.
This narrative exhibits a pattern of honesty, prudence, and industry,
to people of his own colour; and perhaps some white people would not
find themselves degraded by imitating such an example.
The following account is published in compliance with the earnest
desire of the subject of it, and likewise a number of respectable
persons who are acquainted with him.
CHAPTER I.
_Containing an account of his life, from his birth to the time of his
leaving his native country._
I was born at Dukandarra, in Guinea, about the year 1729. My father's
name was Saungm Furro, Prince of the Tribe of Dukandarra. My father
had three wives. Polygamy was not uncommon in that country,
especially among the rich, as every man was allowed to keep as many
wives as he could maintain. By his first wife he had three children.
The eldest of them was myself, named by my father Broteer. The other
two were named Cundazo and Soozaduka. My father had two children by
his second wife, and one by his third. I descended from a very large,
tall and stout race of beings, much larger than the generality of
people in other parts of the globe, being commonly considerably above
six feet in height, and in every way well proportioned.
The first thing worthy of notice which I remember was, a contention
between my father and mother, on account of my father's marrying his
third wife without the consent of his first and eldest, which was
contrary to the custom generally observed among my countrymen. In
consequence of this rupture, my mother left her husband and country,
and travelled away with her three children to the eastward. I was
then five years old. She took not the least sustenance along with
her, to support either herself or children. I was able to travel
along by her side; the other two of her offspring she carried one on
her back, and the other being a sucking child, in her arms. When we
became hungry, my mother used to set us down on the ground, and gather
some of the fruits which grew spontaneously in that climate. These
served us for food on the way. At night we all lay down together in
the most secure place we could find, and reposed ourselves until
morning. Though there were many noxious animals there; yet so kind
was our Almighty protector, that none of them were ever permitted to
hurt or molest us. Thus we went on our journey until the second day
after our departure from Dukandarra, when we came to the entrance of a
great desert. During our travel in that we were often affrighted with
the doleful howlings and yellings of wolves, lions, and other animals.
After five days travel we came to the end of this desert, and
immediately entered into a beautiful and extensive interval country.
Here my mother was pleased to stop and seek a refuge for me. She left
me at the house of a very rich farmer. I was then, I should judge,
not less than one hundred forty miles from my native place, separated
from all my relations and acquaintance. At this place my mother took
her farewell of me, and set out for her own country. My new guardian,
as I shall call the man with whom I was left, put me into the business
of tending sheep, immediately after I was left with him. The flock
which I kept with the assistance of a boy, consisted of about forty.
We drove them every morning between two and three miles to pasture,
into the wide and delightful plains. When night drew on, we drove
them home and secured them in the cote. In this round I continued
during my stay there. One incident that befel me when I was driving
my flock from pasture, was so dreadful to me at that age, and is to
this time fresh in my memory, that I cannot help noticing it in this
place. Two large dogs sallied out of a certain house and set upon me.
One of them took me by the arm, and the other by the thigh, and before
their master could come and relieve me, they lacerated my flesh to
such a degree, that the scars are very visible to the present day. My
master was immediately sent for. He came and carried me home, as I
was unable to go myself on account of my wounds. Nothing remarkable
happened afterwards until my father sent for me to return home.
Before I dismiss this country, I must just inform my reader what I
remember concerning this place. A large river runs through this
country in a westerly course. The land for a great way on each side
is flat and level, hedged in by a considerable rise of the country at
a great distance from it. It scarce ever rains there, yet the land is
fertile; great dews fall in the night which refresh the soil. About
the latter end of June or first of July, the river begins to rise, and
gradually increases until it has inundated the country for a great
distance, to a height of seven or eight feet. This brings on a slime
which enriches the land surprisingly. When the river has subsided,
the natives begin to sow and plant, and the vegetation is exceedingly
rapid. Near this rich river my guardian's land lay. He possessed, I
cannot tell exactly how much, yet this I am certain of respecting it,
that he owned an immense tract. He possessed likewise a great many
cattle and goats. During my stay with him I was kindly used, and with
as much tenderness, for what I saw, as his only son, although I was an
entire stranger to him, remote from friends and relations. The
principal occupation of the inhabitants there, were the cultivation of
the soil and the care of their flocks. They were a people pretty
similar in every respect to that of mine, except in their persons,
which were not so tall and stout. They appeared to be very kind and
friendly. I will now return to my departure from that place.
My father sent a man and horse after me. After settling with my
guardian for keeping me, he took me away and went for home. It was
then about one year since my mother brought me here. Nothing
remarkable occured to us on our journey until we arrived safe home.
I found then that the difference between my parents had been made up
previous to their sending for me. On my return, I was received both
by my father and mother with great joy and affection, and was once
more restored to my paternal dwelling in peace and happiness. I was
then about six years old.
Not more than six weeks had passed after my return, before a message
was brought by an inhabitant of the place where I lived the preceding
year to my father, that that place had been invaded by a numerous
army, from a nation not far distant, furnished with musical
instruments, and all kinds of arms then in use; that they were
instigated by some white nation who equipped and sent them to subdue
and possess the country, that his nation had made no preparation for
war, having been for a long time in profound peace that they could not
defend themselves against such a formidable train of invaders, and
must therefore necessarily evacuate their lands to the fierce enemy,
and fly to the protection of some chief; and that if he would permit
them they should come under his rule and protection when they had to
retreat from their own possessions. He was a kind and merciful
prince, and therefore consented to these proposals.
He had scarcely returned to his nation with the message, before the
whole of his people were obliged to retreat from their country, and
come to my fathers dominions.
He gave them every privilege and all the protection his government
could afford. But they had not been there longer than four days
before news came to them that the invaders had laid waste their
country, and were coming speedily to destroy them in my father's
territories. This affrighted them, and therefore they immediately
pushed off to the southward, into the unknown countries there, and
were never more heard of.
Two days after their retreat, the report turned out to be but too
true. A detachment of the enemy came to my father and informed him,
that the whole army was encamped not far out of his dominions, and
would invade the territory and deprive his people of their liberties
and rights, if he did not comply with the following terms. These were
to pay them a large sum of money, three hundred fat cattle, and a
great number of goats, sheep, asses, &c.
My father told the messenger that he would comply rather than that his
subjects should be deprived of their rights and privileges, which he
was not then in circumstances to defend from so sudden an invasion.
Upon turning out those articles, the enemy pledged their faith and
honor that they would not attack him. On these he relied and
therefore thought it unnecessary to be on his guard against the enemy.
But their pledges of faith and honor proved no better than those of
other unprincipled hostile nations; for a few days after a certain
relation of the king came and informed him, that the enemy who sent
terms of accommodation to him, and received tribute to their
satisfaction, yet meditated an attack on his subjects by surprise, and
that probably they would commence their attack in less than one day,
and concluded with advising him, as he was not prepared for war, to
order a speedy retreat of his family and subjects. He complied with
this advice.
The same night which was fixed upon to retreat, my father and his
family set off about break of day. The king and his two younger wives
went in one company, and my mother and her children in another. We
left our dwellings in succession, and my father's company went on
first. We directed our course for a large shrub plain, some distance
off, where we intended to conceal ourselves from the approaching
enemy, until we could refresh and rest ourselves a little. But we
presently found that our retreat was not secure. For having struck up
a little fire for purposes of cooking victuals, the enemy who happened
to be encamped a little distance off, had sent out a scouting party
which discovered us by the smoke of the fire, just as we were
extinguishing it and about to eat. As soon as we had finished eating,
my father discovered the party, and immediately began to discharge
arrows at them. This was what I first saw, and it alarmed both me and
the women, who being unable to make any resistance, immediately betook
ourselves to the tall thick reeds not far off, and left the old king
to fight alone. For some time, I beheld him from the reeds defending
himself with great courage and firmness, till at last he was obliged
to surrender himself into their hands.
Then they came to us in the reeds, and the very first salute I had
from them was a violent blow on the head with the fore part of a gun,
and at the same time a grasp round the neck. I then had a rope put
about my neck, as had all the women in the thicket with me, and were
immediately led to my father, who was likewise pinioned and haltered
for leading. In this condition we were all led to the camp. The
women and myself being pretty submissive, had tolerable treatment from
the enemy, while my father was closely interrogated respecting his
money which they knew he must have. But as he gave them no account of
it, he was instantly cut and pounded on his body with great
inhumanity, that he might be induced by the torture he suffered to
make the discovery. All this availed not the least to make him give
up his money, but he despised all the tortures which they inflicted,
until the continued exercise and increase of torment, obliged him to
sink and expire. He thus died without informing his enemies of the
place where his money lay. I saw him while he was thus tortured to
death. The shocking scene is to this day fresh in my mind, and I have
often been overcome while thinking on it. He was a man of remarkable
stature. I should judge as much as six feet and six or seven inches
high, two feet across his shoulders, and every way well proportioned.
He as a man of remarkable strength and resolution, affable, kind and
gentle, ruling with equity and moderation.
The army of the enemy was large, I should suppose consisting of about
six thousand men. Their leader was called Baukurre. After destroying
the old prince, they decamped and immediately marched towards the sea,
lying to the west, taking with them myself and the women prisoners.
In the march a scouting party was detached from the main army. To the
leader of this party I was made waiter, having to carry his gun, &c.
As we were a scouting we came across a herd of fat cattle, consisting
of about thirty in number. These we set upon, and immediately wrested
from their keepers, and afterwards converted them into food for the
army. The enemy had remarkable success in destroying the country
wherever they went. For as far as they had penetrated, they laid the
habitations waste and captured the people. The distance they had now
brought me was about four hundred miles. All the march I had very
hard tasks imposed on me, which I must perform on pain of punishment.
I was obliged to carry on my head a large flat stone used for grinding
our corn, weighing as I should suppose, as much as 25 pounds; besides
victuals, mat and cooking utensils. Though I was pretty large and
stout of my age, yet these burthens were very grievous to me, being
only about six years and a half old.
We were then come to a place called Malagafco. When we entered the
place we could not see the least appearance of either houses or
inhabitants, but upon stricter search found, that instead of houses
above ground they had dens in the sides of hillocks, contiguous to
ponds and streams of water. In these we perceived they had all hid
themselves, as I suppose they usually did upon such occasions. In
order to compel them to surrender, the enemy contrived to smoke them
out with faggots. These they put to the entrance of the caves and set
them on fire. While they were engaged in this business, to their
great surprise some of them were desperately wounded with arrows which
fell from above on them. This mystery they soon found out. They
perceived that the enemy discharged these arrows through holes on the
top of the dens directly in to the air. Their weight brought them
back, point downwards on their enemies heads, whilst they were smoking
the inhabitants out. The points of the arrows were poisoned, but
their enemy had an antidote for it, which they instantly applied to
the wounded part. The smoke at last obliged the people to give
themselves up. They came out of their caves, first spatting the palms
of their hands together, then and immediately after extended their
arms, crossed at their wrists, ready to be bound and pinioned. I
should judge that the dens above mentioned were extended about eight
feet horizontally into the earth, five feet in height and as many
wide. They were arched over head and lined with earth, which was of
the clay kind, and made the surface of their walls firm and smooth.
The invaders then pinioned the prisoners of all ages and sexes
indiscriminately, took their flocks and all their effects, and moved
on their way towards the sea. On the march the prisoners were treated
with clemency, on account of their being submissive and humble.
Having come to the next tribe, the enemy laid siege and immediately
took men, women, children, flocks, and all their valuable effects.
They then went on to the next district which was contiguous with the
sea, called in Africa, Anamaboo. The enemies provisions were then
almost spent, as well as their strength. The inhabitants knowing what
kind of conduct they had pursued, and what were their present
intentions, improved the favorable opportunity, attacked them, and
took enemy, prisoners, flocks and all their effects. I was then taken
a second time. All of us were then put into the castle, and kept for
market. On a certain time I and other prisoners were put on board a
canoe, under our master, and rowed away to a vessel belonging to Rhode
Island, commanded by capt. Collingwood, and the mate Thomas Mumford.
While we were going to the vessel, our master told us all to appear to
the best possible advantage for sale. I was bought on board by one
Robertson Mumford, steward of said vessel, for four gallons of rum,
and a piece of calico, and called VENTURE, on account of his having
purchased me with his own private venture. Thus I came by my name.
All the slaves that were bought for that vessel's cargo, were two
hundred and sixty.