Sir Samuel Baker and his wife made a dangerous and toilsome journey
into the burning regions of Central Africa. From a book of travel and
adventure published by him we glean such portions as relate to their
faithful servant, Saat, the African boy.
When a child of six years old, minding his father's goats in the
desert, Saat was captured by a hostile Arab tribe, and thrust into
a sack, which was placed on a camel's back, and thus he was carried
hundreds of miles from home. Every time that the poor child screamed
or offered resistance he was threatened that he would be killed by
his cruel captors. Saat shortly found himself in the hands of a
slave-dealer, by whom he was offered to the Egyptian government as a
drummer-boy, but being too small was rejected. A fellow slave told
little Saat of an Austrian mission-house in the very town in which they
were, that would protect and care for him if he could escape to it.
Thither the little boy fled, and found shelter for some time, gaining
such instruction as his mind could receive, together with other little
waifs and strays, which the missionaries had received at different
times.
Sickness reduced the number of the good men who had cared for and
taught the children, and they found it necessary to turn adrift the
friendless little ones, who apparently without result had been watched
and tended, and little Saat, "the one grain of gold," was a second time
without a home. But God guided him on a good way.
One evening Sir Samuel Baker and his wife were sitting in their
courtyard on the Nile, when a starved, miserable boy crept up to them,
and crouching in the dust, begged to be allowed to live with them
and be their boy. They did not take him then, and he came again the
next day, praying them to allow him to serve them. They endeavored
to discourage him by telling of the long and dangerous journey they
were about to take. Saat was firm; he would go with them to the end
of the world. Touched by the boy's story they went to the mission to
inquire the truth of it. There an excellent character was given of him,
with the remark that he must have been turned out by mistake. This
determined the traveller to adopt him. A good washing and a new suit of
clothes made Saat quite respectable, and being well-disposed he soon
made himself useful. Mrs. Baker taught him to sew, and Sir Samuel gave
him lessons in shooting. When his day's work was done, he was allowed
to sit by his mistress while she told him stories from the Bible and
from the history of Europe. There was plenty of time for such talk, the
long, weary journey in the Nile boat, which they had just commenced,
enabling that gentle lady to instruct the poor ignorant boy thrown on
her hands. Their native servants robbed, betrayed, and deserted the
travellers at every turn, but among them little Saat shone as a bright
star, honest, truthful, and devoted to those who had rescued him from
starvation, and he daily won their love. To him they most probably owed
their lives, as he detected and exposed to them a plan their servants
had agreed on, to seize their master's arms and leave him in the
desert, or murder him and his wife if they met with resistance.
This child of the sun seemed to have all the best points of a happy
English boy; he delighted in active sports and shooting with his light
gun. Through dangers and distresses he was always bright and cheerful.
Saat was sometimes in mischief, too, and he spoilt two watches by
trying to examine their inside works. He was very fond of a drum; but a
camel which carried it rolled over and spoilt that musical instrument;
then he destroyed a tin kettle and a tin cup by drumming on them.
Neither watch nor tinware could be replaced when shops were thousands
of miles away. Once, when he was not well, a powder was given him to
take, and he asked if he should eat the paper it was in.
Sir Samuel followed his plans for his journey through all obstacles,
and Saat's name is never mentioned, except in praise. He endured hunger
and thirst, and rejoiced with his kind protectors in the success of
their undertaking. During these years of travel, sickness and death
had visited their little band, but as yet the boy had been spared; but
on the homeward journey his time came,--that fearful sickness, the
plague, attacked the vessel in which the party journeyed: first one was
smitten, then another, and then it was Saat. Mrs. Baker herself nursed
the sick boy with tender care, but he lay day and night in delirium. At
last came a calm; he was gently washed and dressed in clean clothes,
and laid to rest. He slept; his mistress hoped it was the sleep of
recovery; but a kind servant presently covered the boy's face while
tears ran down her cheeks. Saat was dead. The boat was stopped, and
the faithful boy was sadly buried beneath a tree, the wonderful river
Nile rolling by his grave.
Saat was converted from Paganism to Christianity, and reached his home
and rest in heaven.