Becoming America - An Exploration of American Literature from Precolonial to Post-Revolution, 2018a

BECOMING AMERICA
REVOLUTIONARY AND EARLY NATIONAL PERIOD LITERATURE
edied. I, at length, had recourse to the Jews, which availed me nothing, as the
fear of eternity daily harassed my mind and I knew not where to seek shelter from
the wrath to come. However, this was my conclusion, at all events, to read the
Four Evangelists, and whatever sect or party I found adhering thereto, such I
would join. Thus I went on heavily without any guide to direct me the way that
leadeth to eternal life. I asked dierent people questions about the manner of
going to heaven, and was told dierent ways. Here I was much staggered, and
could not nd any at that time more righteous than myself, or indeed so much
inclined to devotion. I thought we should not all be saved (this is agreeable to the
holy scriptures), nor would all be damned. I found none among the circle of my
acquaintance that kept holy the Ten Commandments. So righteous was I in my
own eyes, that I was convinced I excelled many of them in that point, by keeping
eight out of ten; and nding those, who in general termed themselves Christians,
not so honest or so good in their morals as the Turks. I really thought the Turks
were in a safer way of salvation than my neighbours; so that between hopes and
fears I went on, and the chief comforts I enjoyed were in the musical French-horn,
which I then practised, and also dressing of hair. Such was my situation some
months, experiencing the dishonesty of many people here. I determined at last to
set out for Turkey, and there to end my days. It was now early in the spring 1774.
I sought for a master, and found a Captain, John Hughes, commander of a ship
called Anglicania, tting out in the river Thames, and bound to Smyrna in Turkey.
I shipped myself with him as a steward; at the same time I recommended to him
a very clever black man, John Annis, as a cook. This man was on board the ship
near two months doing his duty; he had formerly lived many years with Mr.
William Kirkpatrick, a gentleman of the island of St. Kitt’s, from whom he parted
by consent, though he afterwards tried many schemes to inveigle the poor man.
He had applied to many captains, who traded to St. Kitt’s to trepan him; and when
all their attempts and schemes of kidnapping proved abortive, Mr. Kirkpatrick
came to our ship at Union stairs, on Easter Monday, April the 4th, with two
wherry-boats and six men, having learned that the man was on board; and tied,
and forcibly took him away from the ship, in the presence of the crew and the chief
mate, who had detained him after he had information to come away. I believe this
was a combined piece of business; but, be that as it may, it certainly reected great
disgrace on the mate, and captain also, who, although they had desired the
oppressed man to stay on board, yet notwithstanding this vile act on the man who
had served him, he did not in the least assist to recover him, or pay me a farthing
of his wages, which was about ve pounds. I proved the only friend he had, who
attempted to regain him his liberty, if possible, having known the want of liberty
myself. I sent as soon as I could to Gravesend, and got knowledge of the ship in
which he was; but unluckily she had sailed the rst tide after he was put on board.
My intention was then immediately to apprehend Mr. Kirkpatrick, who was about
setting o for Scotland; and, having obtained a habeas corpus for him, and got a
tipsta to go with me to St. Paul’s Church yard, where he lived, he, suspecting
Page | 547