and had his education been suited to his genius, he might
have been an ornament and an honor to human nature. It may perhaps,
not be unpleasing to see the efforts of a great mind wholly
uncultivated, enfeebled and depressed by slavery, and struggling under
every disadvantage. The reader may here see a Franklin and a
Washington, in a state of nature, or rather, in a state of slavery.
Destitute as he is of all education, he still exhibits striking traces
of native ingenuity and good sense.

This narrative exhibits a pattern of honesty, prudence, and industry,
to people of his own colour; and perhaps some white people would not
find themselves degraded by imitating such an example.

The following account is published in compliance with the earnest
desire of the subject of it, and likewise a number of respectable
persons who are acquainted with him.

CHAPTER I.

_Containing an account of his life, from his birth to the time of his
leaving his native country._

I was born at Dukandarra, in Guinea, about the year 1729. My father's
name was Saungm Furro, Prince of the Tribe of Dukandarra. My father
had three wives. Polygamy was not uncommon in that country,
especially among the rich, as every man was allowed to keep as many
wives as he could maintain. By his first wife he had three children.
The eldest of them was myself, named by my father Broteer. The other
two were named Cundazo and Soozaduka. My father had two children by
his second wife, and one by his third. I descended from a very large,
tall and stout race of beings, much larger than the generality of
people in other parts of the globe, being commonly considerably above
six feet in height, and in every way well proportioned.

The first thing worthy of notice which I remember was, a contention
between my father and mother, on account of my father's marrying his
third wife without the consent of his first and eldest, which was
contrary to the custom generally observed among my countrymen. In
consequence of this rupture, my mother left her husband and country,
and travelled away with her three children to the eastward. I was
then five years old. She took not the least sustenance along with
her, to support either herself or children. I was able to travel
along by her side; the other two of her offspring she carried one on
her back, and the other being a sucking child, in her arms. When we
became hungry, my mother used to set us dow