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Smith, Venture

"A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture, a Native of Africa, but Resident above Sixty Years in the United States of America, Related by Himself"

He was a kind and merciful
prince, and therefore consented to these proposals.
He had scarcely returned to his nation with the message, before the
whole of his people were obliged to retreat from their country, and
come to my fathers dominions.
He gave them every privilege and all the protection his government
could afford. But they had not been there longer than four days
before news came to them that the invaders had laid waste their
country, and were coming speedily to destroy them in my father's
territories. This affrighted them, and therefore they immediately
pushed off to the southward, into the unknown countries there, and
were never more heard of.
Two days after their retreat, the report turned out to be but too
true. A detachment of the enemy came to my father and informed him,
that the whole army was encamped not far out of his dominions, and
would invade the territory and deprive his people of their liberties
and rights, if he did not comply with the following terms. These were
to pay them a large sum of money, three hundred fat cattle, and a
great number of goats, sheep, asses, &c.
My father told the messenger that he would comply rather than that his
subjects should be deprived of their rights and privileges, which he
was not then in circumstances to defend from so sudden an invasion.


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