Shadow and Light: An Autobiography with Reminiscences of the Last and Present CenturyGibbs, Mifflin Wistar
History
Shadow and Light: An Autobiography with Reminiscences of the Last and Present Century
Gibbs, Mifflin Wistar
African Americans
Passing Hurich Island, a British possession, and having had a very
pleasant passage on the Red Sea, we arrive at Djiboute, Abyssinia, the
terminus of King Menelik's domain, the scenes of recent conflict between
Italy and the King's forces, the "unpleasantness" resulting unprofitably
to the Italians. There were landed from the ship many boxes of rifles
and ammunition for the King's governor, who resides here. During the few
hours we remained there, we were interested in and enjoyed the gathering
of ten or fifteen native boys around the ship diving for centimes or
francs thrown by the passengers, their dexterity as divers, securing
every penny, was as clever as grotesque. They remained in the water six
or eight hours during the ship's stay. A few hours brought us to Aden, a
very strongly fortified appendage to the British Empire at the south end
of the Red Sea. For armament and strategical locality it is the
Gibraltar of the southern seas.
The rivalry of native boatmen for passengers and luggage to take ashore
was appalling. When I say it surpassed a third ward political meeting in
"ye olden times" in Little Rock I faintly describe it. Sunday morning;
once more on the way; one more stop, and then to Tamatave, our
destination.
Looking this beautiful morning on the foam-crest waves as they roll in
sportive emulation, with a cloudless sky coming down on every side to
kiss the horizon, shutting out human vision of all else beyond, one
could not fail to be impressed with the greatness, the omnipotence of
the Creator. This being but a speck of that vast whole, comprising the
celestial and terrestrial aggregation, he, indeed, who regards this
sublime workmanship as the product of chance and not that of a
super-human architect and law-giver, by Whom every atom of nature is
controlled, is more to be pitied than condemned.
To conclude our voyage, we have six or seven days of "innocuous
desuetude." That is what I believe President Cleveland designated a
monotonous and unprofitable period. I am not certain, however, and one
should be careful in quoting great authors.
We pass the Gulf of Aden and enter the Indian Ocean, Rem Huffien Island
to the right, and now appears the eastern coast lines of the continent
of Africa. On that continent, I learn, lies the ashes of my forefathers.
Peace abide with them, and may peace crowned with justice come to such
of their descendants as are still the victims of dishonesty and
inhumanity by enlightened and professedly Christian nations.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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