Wheeling compiler. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [i.e. W. Va.]) 1829-1831, 1829-09-02


rom the Saco Palladium, was inserted in |
our last 1t will be found quite amusing. :
From The Portsmouth " H. Journal.
Abdullaa appeared here under very IA
vorable auspices-havIng with him
printed paper, one corner ofwhich was gar.
lished with several lines in manuscript. /
having the general appearance of the Eas-
tern printed character. and stating IN Eng |
lish. the outlines of his history, his birth, |
capture by the pirate, escape, &c; and
another paper, bearing the names of the
of the Senior Class, atthe old |
est and most distinguished literary lnstltu |
ton this side Mount KatadIn; and stating
that Che aforesaid Seniors at -- College, /
had had several conversations with the
bearer of it, Abdulah Mohammed, whom
they had discovered to be yound man of
intelligence, and strong natural
he cOnversed in the latin Ian
guage with great elegance and proPriety
that he was intimately acquainted with
the geography and history of modern Iur
key-lhat he was, as they had been lnfor
med by those who were competent to Judge, |
familiar with the Arabic and other Eastern
languages-and concluded by recommend |
ing him TO the sympathies of a generous
public. We had also, among other certi-
fcates, one from Zebulou K. Shepherd, |
which stated that Abdullah the Turk, spoke
the Latin language with greater facility
and correctness than any one the aforesaid
Zebulon had conversed with in this country.
Such an array of authority should have
screened Abdulah from all suspicion
but here, as he afterwards said he had
been elsewhere, he was doomed to mIsfor
tune met him in company with sever
al Ofmy friends, and while we were KAN
ming his papers, and conversing with hImI
in the only language in which he is ableI
to communicate in this Western world,
Gen. W, of the army, entered. "a
Turk" says he, she IS the same rascal ]
metal TROY, mot in Asia, dear reader, but
n. York. where he was taken up and ex
posed as mpostor." As young Abdullah
heard all this, and comprehended not a
word. the conversation was continued IN
Latin. To the objection that his pronunci
alton was not foreign. or Turkish, he replI
ed by asking, "Ia Gu0 mode THrci pronuH-
Giant" When told that Gen. w said he
was an impostor--placing his elbow on
the table and dropping his face into his
hand-he asked with an innocence and
gravity truly Turkish, "PatasHe me posse
te deciDere?" lie was told that Gen. w.
said his real name was Belden. "Beldept
Betdenl /inqDH grariter) est "omea raide
cQrios0nl" When told we would retain
his papers and imprson him, "'Sum Solas
said he) ros multi els. POtestis. 81 pLa
Get. me an carcerim jactare; sed precor r0s
mil miscordiam perhibere. PdreHtes dRri
me IN ASIA erpertant"
Here we were left by the General to
manage affairs with Abdullah as we pleas
ed. After some further conversation 10
which he was at times invited, "depOncre
Tucm, Ct iingpq1p latham" be request
ed two of our party TO favor him with
private interview, which was granted with
out hesitation. And here you may mag
ne our surprise, after the keys had bee n
duly turned. and while we weIe expecting
some important communications respect
inc our relations with our Brother Of the
Moon. at the following annunclation, "a
mericaaus non TUTcus sum-" and when up
on being notified that but one Of his audit.
ors understood the only language in which
his Turkship was able to converse with the
Scholars Of this country, he condescended
to say, "Well then, let us have it in Eng
lish;" the unexpected address, was in ef.
feet like the electric spark.
And now as AbdalIah speaks good Eng
lish, we must suffer him 10 continue his
story in his own way, which he did nearly
as folloas: Il am from -. New York,
where my parents now live. My father u
poor, and like many other parents has
some strange prejudices against all book
learning. he was always uneasy when ne
saw a book IN my hand, and was always
uneasy without. When very young, some
book on making Latin fell into my hands.
BY studying this and few other books,
and by frequent practice, have made my
self familiar with the use Of that language.
I have never received any regular educa
ton, and understand TO other language
except English And even my Latin is
not quite 50 good as Livy and Cicero, for
1 frequently find my lenses Of the verbs
wrong, ny declension ofnonrs iacq7ec,,