It Cannot, However, Admit Of A
Doubt, That All The Rich And Valuable Productions, Both Of The East And
West Indies, Might Easily Be Naturalized, And Brought To The Utmost
Perfection, In The Tropical Parts Of This Immense Continent.
Nothing is
wanting to this end but example, to enlighten the minds of the natives;
and instruction, to enable them to direct their industry to proper
objects.
It was not possible for me to behold the wonderful fertility of
the soil, the vast herds of cattle, proper both for labour and food, and
a variety of other circumstances favourable to colonization and
agriculture; and reflect, withal, on the means which presented themselves
of a vast inland navigation, without lamenting that a country, so
abundantly gifted and favoured by nature, should remain in its present
savage and neglected state. Much more did I lament, that a people of
manners and disposition so gentle and benevolent, should either be left,
as they now are, immersed in the gross and uncomfortable blindness of
pagan superstition, or permitted to become converts to a system of
bigotry and fanaticism, which, without enlightening the mind, often
debases the heart. On this subject many observations might be made; but
the reader will probably think that I have already digressed too largely;
and I now, therefore, return to my situation at Kamalia.
CHAPTER XXIV.
Transactions at Kamalia resumed. - Arabic MSS. in use among the Mahomedan
Negroes. - Reflections concerning the conversion and education of the
Negro children. - Return of the Author's benefactor, Karfa. - Further
account of the purchase and treatment of slaves. - Fast of Rhamadan, how
observed by the Negroes. - Author's anxiety for the day of departure. - The
Caravan sets out. - Account of it on its departure, and proceedings on the
road, until its arrival at Kinytakooro.
The schoolmaster, to whose care I was entrusted during the absence of
Karfa, was a man of a mild disposition and gentle manners; his name was
Fankooma; and although he himself adhered strictly to the religion of
Mahomet, he was by no means intolerant in his principles towards others
who differed from him. He spent much of his time in reading; and teaching
appeared to be his pleasure, as well as employment. His school consisted
of seventeen boys, most of whom were sons of Kafirs; and two girls, one
of whom was Karfa's own daughter. The girls received their instructions
in the daytime, but the boys always had their lessons by the light of a
large fire before daybreak, and again late in the evening; for being
considered, during their scholarship, as the domestic slaves of the
master, they were employed in planting corn, bringing fire-wood, and in
other servile offices through the day.
Exclusive of the Koran, and a book or two of commentaries thereon, the
schoolmaster possessed a variety of manuscripts, which had partly been
purchased from the trading Moors, and partly borrowed from Bushreens in
the neighbourhood, and copied with great care. Other MSS. had been
produced to me at different places in the course of my journey; and on
recounting those I had before seen, and those which were now shown to me,
and interrogating the schoolmaster on the subject, I discovered that the
Negroes are in possession (among others) of an Arabic version of the
Pentateuch of Moses; which they call _Taureta la Moosa_. This is so
highly esteemed, that it is often sold for the value of one prime slave.
They have likewise a version of the Psalms of David, (_Zabora Dawidi_;)
and, lastly the book of Isaiah, which they call _Lingeeli la Isa_, and it
is in very high esteem.
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