Page:The Black Prince (John Naimbanna).djvu/13

( 13 ) stay in England, I always enjoyed very good health, and received the greatest civilities from all those under whose care I was, and at my leaving England I was in perfect health."

When the vessel got to Sierra Leone, he had become insensible to every thing that passed around him, except for very short intervals. He was taken ashore to the governor's house at Freetown, where his mother, with a brother, and a sister of his, and some other of his relations, to whom notice of his dangerous state had been sent, soon after appeared. The distracted looks of his mother and the wildness of his sister's grief on seeing him, affected every one; but when at length they perceived that he breathed no more, their shrieks and cries were distressing beyond measure. He died about twelve hours after coming on shore.

Thus ended the days of this amiable and enlightened African from whose labours extensive good might have been expected. But before we proceed to make a few reflections on this story, it will be well to notice two memorandums which were found in his pocket book after his death, and which serve to confirm what has been already said of the tenderness of his conscience, and the purity of his manners.

The first was written in consequence of his falling into some company where profane and obscene conversation had passed, and was as follows "I shall take care of this company, which I now fall into, for they swear a good deal, and talk all manner of wickedness and filthy. All these things—can I be able to resist that temptation?—No I cannot but the Lord will deliver me."