Solomon, Ben Job Jalla

, ben Abraham, ben Abdulla by his first wife Tanomata, was born at Bonda, a town founded by his father Ibrahim, in the kingdom of Futa or Sanaga, which lies on both sides the river Senegal or Sanaga, and extends as far as the Gambra. Being sent by his father, in Feb. 1731, to sell some slaves to captain Pyke, commander of a trading vessel belonging to Mr. Hunt, and not agreeing about their price, he set out with another black merchant on an expedition across the Gambra; but they were taken prisoners by the Mandingos, a nation at enmity with his own, and sold for slaves to captain Pyke aforesaid, who immediately sent proposals to his father for their redemption. The ship sailing before the return of an answer, Job was carried to Annapolis, and delivered to Mr. Denton, factor to Mr. Hunt. He sold him to Mr. Tolsey of Maryland, from whom, though kindly treated, he escaped; and, being committed to prison as a fugitive slave, discovered himself to be a Mahometan. Being at length conveyed to England, a letter addressed to him by his father fell into the hands of general Og!cthorpe, who immediately gave bond to Mr. Hunt for payment of a certain sum on his delivery, in England. Accordingly, he arrived in England in 1733; but Mr. Oglethorpe was gone to Georgia. Mr. Hunt provided him a lodging at Limehouse; and Mr. Bluet, who first found him out in Maryland, took him down to his house at Cheshunt. The African Company undertook for his redemption, which was soon effected by Nathaniel Brassey, esq. member for | Hertford, for 40l. and 20l. bond and charges, by a subscription amounting to 60l. Being now free, he translated several Arabic Mss. for sir Hans Sloane, who got him introduced at court, and after fourteen months stay in London, he returned home loaded with presents to the amount of 500l. He found his father dead, and his native country depopulated by war. He was of a comely person, near six feet high, pleasant but grave countenance, acute natural parts, great personal courage, and of so retentive a memory, that he could repeat the Koran bv heart at fifteen, and wrote it over three times in England by memory. 1

1

Hist, of the Gentlemen’s Society at Spalding. See aho Mr. Bluet’s “Memoirs” of him, in an 8vo pamphlet of 63 pages, 1734.—Moore’s “Travels.” and Astley’s “Voyages,” II. 234—240.