An Authentic Narrative of the Loss of the American Brig Commerce: Wrecked on the Western Coast of Africa, in the Month of August, 1815, with an Account of the Sufferings of the Surviving Officers and Crew, who Were Enslaved by the Wandering Arabs, on the African Desaert, Or Zahahrah; and Observations Historical, Geographical, &c. Made During the Travels of the Author, While a Slave to the Arabs, and in the Empire of Morocco ...

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Judd, Loomis & Company, 1836 - Africa, North - 271 pages
 

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Page 2 - In conformity to the act of Congress of the United States, entitled, " An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned ; " and also to an act, entitled.
Page 187 - Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, "Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears." But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share and his coulter and his axe and his mattock.
Page 2 - Congress of the United States, entitled "an act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the time therein mentioned." And also to an act entitled "an act supplementary to an act entitled an act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned, and extending the benefits thereof to the...
Page 154 - I was weighed, and fell short of ninety pounds, though my usual weight for the last ten years had been over two hundred pounds ; the weight of my companions was less than I dare to mention, for I apprehend it would not be believed that the bodies of men retaining the vital spark, should not have weighed forty pnunds .'
Page 172 - Moslemin companions who could understand him, (for I could not,) that he was going to set out in a few days with sixty boats, and to carry five hundred slaves down the river, first to the southward, and then to the westward, where they should come to the great water, and sell them to pale people who came there in great boats, and brought muskets, and powder, and tobacco, and blue cloth, and knives, &c. — he said it was a great way, and would take him three moons to get there, and he should be gone...
Page 34 - This was done in an instant; when lifting my eyes and my soul towards heaven, I exclaimed, " Great Creator and Preserver of the Universe, who now seest our distresses; we pray thee to spare our lives, and permit us to pass through this overwhelming surf to the open sea: but if we are doomed to perish, thy will be done; we commit our souls to the mercy of thee our God, who gave them: and O! Universal Father, protect and preserve our widows and children \" The wind, as if by divine command, at this...
Page 41 - ... time before I could recollect where I was: my intolerable thirst however at length convinced me, and I was enabled to administer the same wretched and disgusting relief to which I had so frequently before been compelled to resort. Despair now seized on me, and I resolved to cast myself into the sea as soon as I could reach it, and put an end to my life and miseries together. But when I the next moment reflected that I had left ten of my fellow creatures on the shore, who looked up to me for an...
Page 106 - ... undermost: fire seemed to flash from their eyes, whilst they twisted around each other like a couple of serpents, until at length Sidi Hamet, by superior activity or skill, disengaged himself from his brother's grasp, and both sprang up on their feet. Instantly they snatched their muskets at the same moment, and each retiring a few paces with great rapidity and indignation, tore the cloth covers from their guns, and presented them at each other's breast with dreadful fury : — they were «not...
Page 164 - ... was almost as hot as coals of fire) six days, there began to blow a fierce wind from the south-east, called the wind of the Desert, bringing death and destruction with it : we could not advance nor retreat, so we took the loading from off our camels, and piled it in one great heap, and made the camels lie down. The dust flew so thick that we could not see each other nor our camels, and were scarcely able to breathe/ — so we laid down with our faces in the dust, and cried aloud with one voice...
Page 97 - Fire seldom, but fire sure. Push hard with the bayonet — the ball will lose its way, the bayonet never. The ball is a fool, the bayonet a hero ! Stab once, and off with the Turk from the bayonet.

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