The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-14
SLAVERY OF A PRINCE.
a RoMANCE FROM OUR DIPLOMATIC
AND WAR HISTORY.

HNoEs hutO NaNaNs ~ N"'N
ana Released IopE Arterwnrd nj the In-
stance or NTsrocro's suitnn-p1is Sor's story.
During the siege OF vicksburg n contrnband
camo to my quarters one day and snid he desired
10 obtain some information and advice as TO
what course he should take to ret TO Missouri
or Kansas. Hc added, General, I cannot tell
you how anxious ! am TO rot there, for l be-
fcve my wife and two children are in 81. Louis
or Kansas City. l was separated from them
two years ago this month, but within q few
woeks I have providentially heard from thom.
and now, thanks to the good Lord, 1t appears TO
we that my prayers will DO answered in duo
me- The poor old man completely broke
down with the intensity OF his emotions. His
whole appearance and manners, and his Ian
Runge--for no spoke good English, entirely free
from tho broken idiom Of tho ignorant colored
people Impressed mo at once that no was u per-
son Of far moro intelligence and education than
would DO expected in ono who had passed his
whole life in bondage. I became interested in
him and requested him TO give me ; sketch Of
his life, as there was q little leisure that after
noon, tho contendinR forces "a each side being
quiet for Q few hours. Said he:
81 will. General: but tell me first, can you
oive mo any hope of getting mp to 81. Louisi'
I replied that I would endeavor 10 procure
transportation for him. and thought there
WUUlu U " " ebooe ~ AhOh ho
broke forth In profuse expresBions Of gratitude.
and began:
NY name 10 jacob Rahman, and I am the
son of Abdul Rahman. I was born 81 years
ago last May, near Bolivar. Tenn. But before I
proceed further with my narrative I must tell
you something of my fathers history. He was q
native OF Morocco. whence he was stolen away
by . slave ship when he was 1e years old. He
was . Moorish Prince In that country. He had
been thoroughly educated for ono of his years,
according to the customs of his country, and
was raised in luxury. for his family were the
possessors Of great wealth as well as of rank.
He and Q companion went down the harbor Of
Tansier ono summer afternoon for q sail. when
o squan coming up suddenly. their boat cap
aired and the companion was drowned. Father
clunR 10 the keel till o boat put out from Q ship
lying at anchor close by and rescued him.
ION being taken aboard he was informed
that, az 1t was 30 near evening. he would have
10 remain on the ship till the ne1t day, when he
would DO sent back to tho city. He suspected
nothing wrong and was satisfied to remain.
When he got up the next morning he was
amazed to find the ship out In the ocean with
NO land In view. As no often expressed 1t, he
was overwhelmed with despair. He begged
the officers of the ship to send him back by the
frst vessel they should meet, but his ontreaties
"OAOo VI ho NuA ollSOA AN . . =
handkerchief. and they only laughed at his
pleadings. He soon learned that he was on q
slsve ship, bound for the west coast of Africa
for o cargo Of slaves. He then realized that he
was to be sold into slavery. He often told ne
of the terrible agony he endured in thus being
torn away from his family and country, with
nothing to look forward to but hopeless bond.
age. Once. in his despair. he attempted to
jump overheard, but was caught.
HE was then kept in confinement. The YES
sci reached her destination on the African coast,
and after securing her cargo of slaves set sail for
Savannah, Ga. On her arrival at that port the
Africans were sold at auction. he among the
number. As he had the dark skin of the Span
ish Moor he readily passed for a mulatto. and
rs he could not speak a word of English he
could NOT make known WHIT he was or where
he was from, and II he had been able to tell his
story no attention would have been paid to 1t. |
He was bid of to a planter named John
son in the northwestern portion of Georgia,
near the Tennessee line. Here he remained q
few years, working in the cotton field, subject
cd to the hard treatment of slaves, but never
forgetting his kindred and country, or its lam /,
guage. He was in the habit of talking with
himself In his native tongue when alone, so as
to retain it in memory. He remained here a
few years. and then he was sold to John West ,
VIII ohu hhoNcu " DOlNdT, ltnu. MT. w cSLern
treated him with marked kindness and permitted
the governess of his children to teach him also. He
married a mulatto girl belonging to his master.
who was maid to Mrs. Western. Here I was
born and was one of seven brothers. AS we
grew, up our lives passed pleasantly, for the
family We're all together, and we were happy
and contented. Our master allowed us the same
privileges for obtaining education tina, he had
given TO father, Father was able to teach US
All the common branches OF education, and we
mad an nOur eaCh uay, after our work was done
ior mat PURPOSE Bpt those pleasant, times
Master Mast So1 Western : rnu app a E sa sdo and m nc darben;
and walked about speaking to no one. We be-
gan to hear the white folks speaking Of his hav-
ened and took to his bed aD' fr rons @ SsiSfe he ne never ever
Ter tenderly away, for we realized our best
friend was gone. Mother said che knew there
Mas srouo on f6s wau noW, for f she could see the
mintstrator came to the place and reported that
Mr.. Western had been ruined financially by the
betrayal Of Others in whom he had put his conf.
dcnce, and that his plantation and the slaves
must be sold, for the estate WINS insolvent..
'Ihe news came with crushinS force. From
that time on we were sobbing and mourning
most OF the time; The day for the auction was
nxed' and the night before our family were all
toscther IN our cabin, which was really n COM
portable house. We were all crying as II our
hearts would break. Father tried to Comfort
not forget us, and then W. all knelt down and
ne prayed, and, oh, such a prayer; seems as il l
S.sh hncar MN now, MS VOICE COnln5.DacKf from
that far-away time pleading with the good Lord
!hat our family, might, all meet again, II not in
this land. then In the heavnely Kingdom where
no separation could come.
1t was some consolation the next day to see
that father and mother were purchased by the
Natchez,. Miss. My five brothers were sold 10
persons living in the vicinity Of Na,chez, whilo
l was bid OFT by George Woodford of bowling
Green, Ky; The parting scene the next day, |
other till the men tore us apart, and then, saying
a last good'by, l went my sad and weary way.
Il found my new master was a man OF great
wealth. the owner of several tobacco plantations
and conducting II large business. I deter
mined to make myself as useful to him as l
POSSIBLY could }uln:, trusting thereof, TO secure kind
! could read well and write a good hand. He
did not put me in the fields with the other
hands but kept me employed about his Office
and the mansion. After trying me thus for
5oIne months, he appeared to be convinced that
was thoroughly honest and faithful, and
made mo his trnsty attendant. After / had
been with him about four years l fell in love
with a nulatto, sirl OH a nciuhboring planta-
non, and married her. My master thought SO
much or me that he purchased her aud brought
her 10 hls own establishments, and gave us
nice quarters to live in. / had told him
About my father and nathan bo piny haa,, unld