A Narrative of the Most Remarkable Particulars in the Life of James Albert Ukawsaw Gronniosaw, an A | Page 2

to have
his Wife and Children perishing for Want before his Eyes! Yet his
Faith did not fail him; he put his Trust in the Lord, and he was
delivered. And at this Instant, though born in an exalted Station of Life,
and now under the Pressure of various afflicting Providences, I am
persuaded (for I know the Man) he would rather embrace the Dung-hill,
having Christ in his Heart, than give up his spiritual Possessions and
Enjoyment, to fill the Throne of Princes. It perhaps may not be amiss to

observe that James Albert left his native Country, (as near as I can
guess from certain Circumstances) when he was about 15 Years old. He
now appears to be turn'd of Sixty; has a good natural Understanding; is
well acquainted with the Scriptures, and the Things of God, has an
amiable and tender Disposition, and his Character can be well attested
not only at Kidderminster, the Place of his Residence but likewise by
many creditable Persons in London and other Places. Reader,
recommending this Narrative to your perusal, and him who is the
Subject of it to your charitable Regard,
I am your faithful and obedient Servant,
For Christ's Sake,
W. Shirley.

AN
ACCOUNT
OF
JAMES ALBERT, &c.
I was born in the city Bournou; my mother was the eldest daughter of
the reigning King there, of which Bournou is the chief city. I was the
youngest of six children, and particularly loved by my mother, and my
grand-father almost doated on me.
I had, from my infancy, a curious turn of mind; was more grave and
reserved in my disposition than either of my brothers and sisters. I
often teazed them with questions they could not answer: for which
reason they disliked me, as they supposed that I was either foolish, or
insane. 'Twas certain that I was, at times, very unhappy in myself: it
being strongly impressed on my mind that there was some Great Man
of power which resided above the sun, moon and stars, the objects of
our worship. My dear indulgent mother would bear more with me than

any of my friends beside.--I often raised my hand to heaven, and asked
her who lived there? was much dissatisfied when she told me the sun,
moon and stars, being persuaded, in my own mind, that there must be
some Superior Power.--I was frequently lost in wonder at the works of
the Creation: was afraid and uneasy and restless, but could not tell for
what. I wanted to be informed of things that no person could tell me;
and was always dissatisfied.--These wonderful impressions begun in
my childhood, and followed me continually 'till I left my parents,
which affords me matter of admiration and thankfulness.
To this moment I grew more and more uneasy every day, in so much
that one saturday, (which is the day on which we keep our sabbath) I
laboured under anxieties and fears that cannot be expressed; and, what
is more extraordinary, I could not give a reason for it.--I rose, as our
custom is, about three o'clock, (as we are oblig'd to be at our place of
worship an hour before the sun rise) we say nothing in our worship, but
continue on our knees with our hands held up, observing a strict silence
'till the sun is at a certain height, which I suppose to be about 10 or 11
o'clock in England: when, at a certain sign made by the priest, we get
up (our duty being over) and disperse to our different houses.--Our
place of meeting is under a large palm tree; we divide ourselves into
many congregations; as it is impossible for the same tree to cover the
inhabitants of the whole City, though they are extremely large, high
and majestic; the beauty and usefulness of them are not to be described;
they supply the inhabitants of the country with meat, drink and
clothes;[A] the body of the palm tree is very large; at a certain season
of the year they tap it, and bring vessels to receive the wine, of which
they draw great quantities, the quality of which is very delicious: the
leaves of this tree are of a silky nature; they are large and soft; when
they are dried and pulled to pieces it has much the same appearance as
the English flax, and the inhabitants of Bournou manufacture it for
cloathing &c. This tree likewise produces a plant or substance which
has the appearance of a cabbage, and very like it, in taste almost the
same: it grows between the branches. Also the palm tree produces a nut,
something like a cocoa, which contains a kernel, in which is a large
quantity of milk, very pleasant to the taste: the shell is of