Synopsis
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 was written in 1798. Venture came to the United States as a slave when he was eight years old. His narrative begins, "I was born at Dukandarra, in Guinea, about the year 1729. My father's name was Saungm Furro, Prince of the Tribe of Dukandarra. My father had three wives. Polygamy was not uncommon in that country, especially among the rich, as every man was allowed to keep as many wives as he could maintain. By his first wife he had three children. The eldest of them was myself, named by my father Broteer. The other two were named Cundazo and Soozaduka. My father had two children by his second wife, and one by his third. I descended from a very large, tall and stout race of beings, much larger than the generality of people in other parts of the globe, being commonly considerably above six feet in height, and in every way well proportioned."
About the Author
Venture Smith (1729–1805) was an African captive brought to the American colonies as a child. His history was documented when he gave a narrative of his life to a schoolteacher, who wrote it down and published it under the title “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.” Venture Smith was born Broteer Furro in a place he recalls as Dukandarra in "Guinea"--a term that at the time referred to much of West Africa. Clues in the narrative make it clear that he was from the savannah region-and the fact that he was sold at the seaport of Anomabu, in modern Ghana, suggests that he was probably originally from somewhere in modern Ghana, Togo, or Benin. He was the son of a prince who had several wives. As a young child he was kidnapped by a tribe of Africans who were employed by slave dealers. The young boy was purchased by Robertson Mumford for four gallons of rum and a piece of calico. Mumford decided to call him Venture because he considered purchasing him to be a business venture. Venture's ship then set sail for the island of Barbados. Later in his life, Venture managed to earn enough money on the side to buy first his own freedom, then that of his wife and children. “A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture” is his inspiring story.
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