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sient manner, and his own thoughts were of which, to the day of his death, he bas conveyed to paper chiefly through an been confined to his house, and almost amanuensis. He dictated perfect sen- to his chair. Although often suffering tences, even in his family circle, often excruciating pain, with privation in a joining in conversation, on other topics, considerable degree of food, sleep, and while the sentences were written down, ease, his mind has seemed almost to and rarely wished any other aid in triumph over the decays of his body, preserving the connexion than the and he has, with little interruption, repetition of the last word. He has employed his amanuensis upon various been known to dictate to two persons subjects, but more especially upon a work which he had much at heart, upon

at a time.

6

Through forty years, embracing the proofs of the divine origin of the nearly all the maturity of his life, he scriptures, as derived from the writings struggled with this difficulty. It is be- of St. Paul. The manuscript embraces lieved that few instances can be pointed also other important topics. out of acquisitions so numerous and This work, forming a volume of extensive, made under such embarrass- three or four hundred pages, he comments. pleted but three days before his de'His literary enterprise and his cha- cease, and but the very evening before racteristic energy did not diminish with the attack on his brain, which proved the increase of years. In the latter part the immediate prelude to his death, and of his life, he projected various works incapacitated him for farther labour. in theology and in literature, and, This attack took place on Wednesday among other things, often conversed morning; and on Tuesday afternoon, at with his literary friends on the plan twilight, he with his own hand stitched of a periodical work, whose object the cover upon this manuscript, and should be, to elevate the moral and upon an original poem of 1500 lines,* literary taste of our country, to improve which also he had just completed.its manners, and, in various ways, to Although it was almost dark, he declinproduce a salutary influence. So late ed having a candle, and said he believas December 1815, but thirteen months ed he could finish. He did so, and before his death, although he had been added emphatically;-although it is not more than a year labouring under his supposed with any presentiment how last malady, a considerable mitigation prophetical his words would proveof his symptoms revived his interest in " there, I have done." this project, and he offered to write He had indeed done, for, except half the original matter, rather than signing an official paper relating to the that the thing should fail. Even within College, this was the last work which four weeks of his death, he actually his Maker had for him to do; it is rewrote six numbers of an original perio- markable that he was permitted to finish dical paper, by way of experiment, to his important manuscripts, even to their ascertain whether he could write two envelopes. in a week without injuring his health.- • Examination after death ascertained Finding, as he imagined, that he could, that his disease was an internal cancer,† he proposed to continue it under the and that his life was cut short merely title of The Friend-a title under which by the effect of long continued suffering, he wrote, thirty years ago, in a literary not in producing general disease, for, newspaper in this town. except his local affection, his system

The industry-the zeal-the perseverance of President Dwight, have rarely been more conspicuous than during the present winter, through most

*It is entitled The Trial, and is a contest truth acts as umpire. between genius and common sense, in which

+ A cancer around the neck of the bladder.

The

was perfectly sound, and might have his own request, the 8th chapter of endured to extreme old age; but he Romans was read to him a few hours was destroyed by the effect of mere before his death;-on hearing the conpain, and that often agonizing, eventual- clusion, he said; O what a glorious ly overturning his nervous system. apostrophe! Upon rising from bed upon the The character and writings of St. morning of Wednesday, the 8th of Ja- Paul, it is well known, had always nuary, after a more comfortable night been with him a favourite subject of than common, he was seized with a examination and of eulogium. violent nervous agitation-succeeded hearing of this chapter seemed to by a fever-a fulness of the blood bring back all his former associations vessels of the head, and a degree of of ideas; he remarked on an error in stupor, which proved to be the final triumph of his terrible internal enemy. For two days, although he declined taking to his bed, he seemed indisposed to speak, but always uttered himself with propriety when he attempted it ;-he At his own request, as before, the prayed with his family on Thursday 17th chapter of John, and afterwards night; but, from the extremity of his the 14th, 15th, and 16th, were read to distress, was obliged to desist before he him; he listened attentively, and rehad finished. marked to a considerable extent upon the contents of the chapters.

the translation-and on the views of Clarke and Waterland, and other writers, and seemed to have his mind completely withdrawn from his sufferings.

On Friday he was, in a degree, relieved from the stupor; but the man- 'He continued the conversation with ner in which his disease affected his brain, a friend who came, and entered with evidently veiled from him, in a consi- apparent interest into the subject of derable degree, the apprehension of his some recent travels up the Euphrates, danger. He perfectly knew every especially as they related to the site of friend who came in, and observed all ancient Babylon, the traditionary acthat was passing; but his respiration counts of the tomb of Daniel, and other had become very laborious, and grew subjects connected with sacred writ: more and more so till his death: the same interest was exhibited in the although he frequently spoke, his sen- subject of the translation and diffusion tences were so interrupted, that their of the scriptures, and especially the connexion could not always be traced translation of the scriptures into the at the moment, and they were sometimes Chinese language-a beautiful copy thought to be incoherent, when circum- of which work, as far as executed, he stances afterwards showed, that there had a few days before received from was a real connexion in his own mind. Serampore, and directly from Mr. He often uttered himself with perfect Marshman himself. clearness for a time upon a particular 'When that verse of the 23d Psalm, subject, and then his mind would ap- "Yea, though I walk through the valley pear somewhat wandering. But the of the shadow of death, I will fear no entrance of a friend-a question put, or evil, for thou art with me; thy rod and any such mental stimulus, would imme- thy staff they comfort me"- -was rediately bring him back, and he would cited to him by a friend, and a hope exspeak with his characteristic elegance pressed that he could appropriate it to and fulness, and with his own peculiar himself,-he said, I hope I can. turns of expression. His politeness, his Still, the subject of his impending affability, his gratitude for favours done, death, although frequently mentioned were all conspicuous to the last. At to him, appeared to make no lasting VOL. I. NO. I.

E

impression on his mind; he assented in the usual language of prayer, were distinctly heard.

to his danger, but the perception of it seemed immediately to pass from his view.

During the two or three last hours of his life, he appeared, however, to be engaged in prayer, his eyes were raised, and some expressions, couched

Excepting a laborious respiration, our departed friend was mercifully relieved from any struggle of nature with the king of terrors. He expired without the movement of a limb or the distortion of a feature.'

ART. 6. An authentic Narrative of the loss of the American brig Commerce, wrecked on the western coast of Africa, in the month of August, 1815, with the account of the sufferings of her surviving crew, who were enslaved by the wandering Arabs on the great African Desert. or Zahahrah; and observations Historical, Geographical, &c. made during the travels of the Author, while a slave to the Arabs, and in the Empire of Morocco. By James Riley, late master and supercargo. Published by T. Longworth, 114 Broadway.

THIS is an interesting volume. It is next day a number of furious Arabs the genuine journal of an Ameri- attacked and plundered them; and after can seaman; and as such, is entitled to killing one of the crew, compelled the credit in every respect. It contains, rest to seek refuge, from their violence, besides an entertaining history of the on board the wreck. Finding it imposauthor's extraordinary adventures and sible to remain long in this situation, sufferings, a curious and instructive ac- and apprehending every hour that they count of the manners of the untameable should fall into the hands of the barbaArabs, the rovers of the Great Desert.' rians, Captain Riley and his compaThe following sketch of this Narra- nions resolved, in this cruel exigency, tive' is intended for such of our read- considering it their only chance of preers as bave not had an opportunity of servation, to put to sea in their shatperusing the work. tered boat, in the hope of throwing On the 23d of August, 1815, Captain themselves in the way of some friendly Riley sailed from Gibraltar in the brig vessel that might happen to be near. Commerce, as master, on his return In this hope, however, they were misevoyage to New-Orleans, with a crew rably disappointed; and after buffeting consisting of nine men and a boy. In- the waves for several days, in the greattending to pass near the Cape de Verd est distress, they dropped their oars in islands, he appears to have been car- despair, and resigned themselves to the ried by a current (the nature of which mercy of the elements. In a short time he afterwards undertakes to explain) the same inhospitable and cheerless farther to the south than he was aware coast again presented itself to their desof; and whilst endeavouring to alter his ponding view, and they were soon cast course, in the midst of fog and dark- upon the shore by an overwhelming ness, his vessel struck on a sand bank surf, and left in a condition the most near the shore, and very soon became destitute and forlorn that can be imaa mere wreck. With great difficulty gined. Perishing with hunger and they all reached the land; but on the thirst, they with difficulty succeeded in

clambering up the cliffs that bounded and although they had anticipated a the coast, in the faint expectation of very severe fate, yet the horrid treatmeeting with something to mitigate ment they received from these mercitheir misery; when, to their utter dis- less savages, together with their dreadmay, they found themselves on the ful sufferings from thirst, hunger, and Atlantic border of the barren and dreary the heat of the desert, so far exceeded desert of Zaharah :every measure of misery they had apprehended, that they frequently, in the had not sunk in the ocean, or resigned bitterness of despair, regretted that they

"A wild expanse of lifeless sand and sky."

their breath on the lonely beach, without any further effort to prolong a wretched existence.

Though I had previously prepared all their minds (says our author) for a barren prospect, yet the sight of it, when they reached its level, had such an effect on their senses, that they sank to the earth involuntarily; and as they surveyed the dry and dreary waste, The Arabs, after tearing from them stretching out to an immeasurable ex- every article of clothing, and fighting tent before them, they exclaimed, "'tis like furies among themselves for the enough; here we must breathe our last; possession of their persons, at length nothing can live here." The little settled the conflict by dividing the moisture yet left in us overflowed at our eyes, but as the salt tears rolled down slaves (for such the prisoners were now our wo-worn and haggard cheeks, we to be considered) between the two parwere fain to catch them with our fin- ties of which the caravan consisted; and gers and carry them to our mouths, that having mounted them on their camels, they might not be lost, and serve to moisten our tongues, that were now set off on their journey across the Great nearly as dry as parched leather, and Desert. The extreme and complicated so stiff, that with difficulty we could sufferings of the prisoners, during the articulate a sentence so as to be under- devious wanderings of their savage masstood by each other.' ters, over the scorched and barren plains of Zabarah, are almost incredible; and one is astonished to find human nature capable of enduring such horrid hardships and privations. After being sold and separated from one another, on different occasions, by means of the traffic carried on among the wandering tribes of the desert, as they happened to meet in their route across this trackless waste, Captain Riley, and

In this extremity of distress, one of the men, towards evening, perceived a light on the beach before them, and upon approaching it, a band of Arabs, with their women and camels, was discovered encamped near the shore. Although certain of experiencing the most barbarous treatment, and of being reduced to the most cruel slavery by these wild and licentious wanderers of the desert, yet there was no alternative; four of his men, fell into the hand of and they determined that, as soon as Sidi Hamet, a humane and generous daylight appeared, they would throw Arab, who was finally prevailed upon themselves into the hands of these peo- to carry them up to Mogadore, where ple, whatever might be the conse- Captain Riley assured him he had s quence. This was accordingly done; friend who would pay their ransom

This assurance was founded merely occurred since his shipwreck, and by on the supposition that there was an means of a capacious and retentive mes American consul resident there, and mory, he was enabled to compose a although it proved not to be the case, complete journal of all the principal, yet, most providentially for the suffer- and to him, at least, most important ers, there was indeed a friend there; a events of his days of slavery and sufferstranger, of whom they had never ing, together with a description of the heard, and to whom they also were to- country and towns through which he tally unknown-a young Englishman passed, and an account of the manners of almost unexampled humanity, of the and character of the inhabitants. These most disinterested benevolence, and means and materials have enabled him whose conduct on this occasion does the to present to the public a narrative pehighest honour to human nature. culiarly interesting and entertaining. The author's letter, which he was Possessed of a good natural understandrequired by his master, on the north- ing, and of an inquisitive disposition, noern borders of the desert, to write thing appears to have escaped his atto his imaginary friend in Mogadore, tention and observation; and to those came, most fortunately, into the hands who are aware how little information of the English gentleman abovemen- exists relative to the geography and tioned, (Mr. William Willshire,) who natural history of the Zaharah, and of immediately paid from his own funds the condition, customs, and character of the stipulated ransom, (upwards of a the inhabitants of western and northern thousand dollars,) and despatched a mes- Africa, this volume of Captain Riley senger to the confines of Morocco with will undoubtedly be perused with great refreshments and clothing for the curiosity and interest. The Narrative' wretched captives, who for two months is written in a very simple and unhad been dragged about on the desert, adorned style, and ought, perhaps, for upwards of a thousand miles, en- from that circumstance, to inspire the tirely naked, and wasted to the bone reader with greater confidence in the with hunger, thirst, and every species of truth of the story, than if recourse had suffering. been had to those auxiliary means that After a series of new dangers, diffi- are sometimes resorted to, from merceculties, and sufferings, they at length nary views, for the purpose of making arrived at Mogadore, where their hu- up a bulky volume from a few matemane deliverer received them with rials. every expression of generous sympathy, and exerted himself with the greatest zeal to administer to their relief.

The readers of the Edinburgh and Quarterly Reviews are apprized of the great interest that has been excited Having recovered his health and spi- in Great Britain by the narrative of the rits under the generous care of Mr. American sailor, Robert Adams, in relaWillshire, Captain Riley began to make tion to the apocryphal city of Tombucmemoranda in writing of all that had too, and the mysterious course of the

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