Burckhardt, John Lewis, 1784-1817; Nile River Valley -- Description and travel; Nubia -- Description and travel
Ibrahim’s[17] particular request, I had persuaded the Pasha to
release from slavery). ‘Give four hundred piastres to Shaharti my
servant. Let my male and female slaves, and whatever I have in the
house, which is little, go to Osman. Send one thousand piastres to
the poor at Zurich. Let my whole library, with the exception of my
European books, go to the University of Cambridge, to the care of
Dr. Clarke, the librarian; comprising also the manuscripts in the
hands of Sir Joseph Banks. My European books’ (they were only eight
in number) ‘I leave to you’ (Mr. Salt). ‘Of my papers make such
a selection as you think fit, and send them to Mr. Hamilton for the
African Association; there is nothing on Africa. I was starting in
two months time with the caravan returning from Mekka, and going
to Fezzan, thence to Tombuctou, but it is otherwise disposed. For
my affairs in Europe, Mr. Rapp has my will.[18] Give my love to my
friends,’ (enumerating several persons, with whom he was living
upon terms of intimacy at Cairo). ‘Write to Mr. Barker.’—(He
then paused, and seemed troubled, and at length with great exertion
said,) ‘Let Mr. Hamilton acquaint my mother with my death, and
say that my last thoughts have been with her.’ (This subject he
had evidently kept back, as not trusting himself with the mention
of it until the last). ‘The Turks,’ he added, ‘will take my
body, I know it, perhaps you had better let them.’—When I tell
you that he lived only six hours after this conversation, you will
easily conceive what an effort it must have been. The expression of
his countenance when he noticed his intended journey, was an evident
struggle between disappointed hopes, and manly resignation. Less
of the weakness of human nature was perhaps never exhibited upon
a death bed. Dr. Richardson and Osman, who has for some time
lived with him, were both present at this conversation. He ended
by expressing a wish that I should retire, and shook my hand at
parting as taking a final leave. So unhappily it proved; he died
at a quarter before twelve the same night, without a groan. The
funeral, as he desired, was Mohammedan, conducted with all proper
regard to the respectable rank which he had held in the eyes of
the natives. Upon this point I had no difficulty in deciding,
after his own expression on the subject. The Arabic manuscripts
for the University of Cambridge are in a large chest, and shall be
forwarded by the first safe opportunity, together with his papers,
which are few, and appear to be chiefly copies of what I believe
him to have already transmitted.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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