Page:Voyages and travels of a Bible.pdf/10

 While all were busy unlading the cargo, I had a good deal of leisure, though now and then some one or other would turn aside for a few minutes, and speak with me.

While our vessel was waiting for a fresh cargo in one of the islands, and most of our crew were on shore, a young black slave came on board to view her. He happened to step into the cabin while I was lying on the table, and seeing that none were in the cabin but himself and me, he took me into his arms, though ignorant who or what I was, ran off with me, and brought me oneeonce [sic] more to a bookseller’s shop, where I was placed in the book ranks, to remain silent for some time. One day, a gentleman called, and, while taking a view of our ranks, when he eamecame [sic] to me, he expressed eonsiderableconsiderable [sic] surprise to find any of my species in the West Indies; ‘for,’ said he, ‘I have resided here for upwards of twenty years, and this is the first BiblieianBiblician [sic] I have met with.’ He acknowledged that the inhabitants were a barbarous people, and had little relish for talking with suehsuch [sic] a sedate person. However, he determined to have me; to which my new master had no objection, provided he left money in lieu of me, which he did. His wife was not pleased to find me in his eompanycompany [sic], and said they had no oeeasionoccasion [sic] for me. However, when related the history of David, they became enamoured with my eompanycompany [sic]. They wondered at the circumstance which brought David into public notice, viz. his duel with Goliath, the giant of Gath. The young people thought David was wrong in not going well armed against the giant. I told them that all his dependence was on the God of heaven, whose armies Goliath had defied; and, that the victory might appear to be of God, David went only with his staff and his sling to combat with this ehampionchampion [sic] of thothe [sic] Philistines.

The young people were amused with the accounts I gave of Esther, queen of Persia. They perceived how much depended on the king’s being unable to sleep that night, that he called for {[SIC|tho|the}} records of the kingdom to amuse himself; and one of the young ladies remarked, ‘What a good thing it was that he did not ask for any other writings but these; for, had he, it is probabloprobable [sic] Mordecai would have remained in obscurity unrewarded, and the whole Jewish people been cut off by means of proud Haman.’ This gentleman, under whose roof I resided, was far advanced in years, and sometimes reflected that he must soon bid adieu to all things here below. This consideration sometimes created uneasiness; and he frequently involved himself in a hurry of business, and eourtedcourted [sic] much company, in order to banish such unwelcome thoughts; but all his art could not always overeomeovercome [sic] them. I would sometimes whisper, ‘The time is short, and the day of the