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120 GUSTAVUS VASSA. it respects its extent, wealth, and richness of soil. It is bounded on the sea 170 miles, and its interior seems only terminated by the empire of Abyssinia, near 1500 miles from it first boundaries. 3. "In one of the most remote and fertile provinces of this kingdom I was born, in the year 1745. As our country is one where nature is prodigal of her favors, our wants, which are few, are easily supplied. All our industry is turned to the improvement of those blessings, and we are habituated to labor from our early years; and by this means we have no beggars. 4. "Our houses never exceed one story, and are built of wood, thatched with reeds, and the floors are generally covered with mats. The dress of both sexes consists of a long piece of calico or muslin, wrapped loosely round the body: our beds are also covered with the same kind of cloth: this the women make when they are not engaged in labor with the men. Our tillage is in a large common, and all the people resort thither in a body and unite in the labor. 5. "The land, being uncommonly rich, produces vegetables in abundance, and a variety of delicious fruits; also Indian corn, cotton, and tobacco. Our meat consists of cattle, goats, and poultry. The ceremony of washing before eating is strictly enjoined, and cleanliness is considered as a part of their religion. They believe there is one Creator of all things, and that he governs all events. GUSTAVUS VASSA. 121 6. "My father, being a man of rank, had a numerous family: his children consisted of one daughter, and a number of sons; of which I was the youngest. As I generally attended my mother, she took great pains in forming my mind, and training me to exercise. In this way, I grew up to about the eleventh year of my age, when an end was put to my happiness in the following manner:-- 7. "One day, when all our people were gone to their work, and only my dear sister and myself were left to watch the house, two men and a woman came, and seizing us both, stopped our mouths that we should not make a noise, and ran off with us into the woods, where they tied our hands, and took us some distance, to a small house, where we stayed that night. 8. "The next morning, after keeping the woods some distance, we came to an opening, where we saw some people at work, and I began to cry for assistance, but this made them tie us faster, and again stop our mouths; and they put me into a sack until we had got out of sight of these people. When they offered us food we could not eat. Often bathing each other in tears, our only respite was sleep; but alas ! even the privilege of weeping together was soon denied us. While enclosed in each other's arms, we were torn asunder, and I was left in a state of distress not to be described. 9. "After travelling a great distance, suffering 11
