Topsy-Turvy Land - Arabia Pictured for Children by Samuel M. Zwemer;Amy E. Zwemer
page 67 of 87 (77%)
page 67 of 87 (77%)
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Bedden (native boat) and demanded the firearms of the Arabs. Then he bound
them and put his own sailors on board, and brought the precious cargo of souls into Muscat harbour. [Illustration: SLAVE GIRL IN ARABIA.] The owner of the slave-dhow was sent to prison, and the boys and girls were given away to Christian people to train, the missionary in Muscat getting the largest share. This was the origin of the rescued-slave school at Muscat. Other slaves are caught from time to time and liberated. Sometimes they are sent to Bombay or other places in India; a large number were once liberated at Aden and are now in a school at Lovedale in Africa. When these poor slave children first come from the slave ships they are very ignorant and almost like wild animals. They need to learn everything, and even their language is of little use to them, as they need to learn Arabic before they can get along in Arabia. The Muscat boys first learned English from the missionary, but it was not easy for them. They only knew a few words when I first went to Muscat. For instance, they called all lights, such as lamps, candles, etc., _fire_. Well, one night we were sitting on the verandah with the lamp, reading, and Suliman came and said _"big fire!"_ We jumped up and said "where?" Looking all around we could not see a sign of fire. Then he said, "big fire on table." We ran into the dining-room--still no fire. Suliman then pointed to the lamp and said again "big fire"; so we learned by that time he wanted the lamp for the table, as dinner was ready. [Illustration: LIBERATED SLAVES AT BAHREIN.] |
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