The Rhode Island Republican

MISCELLANY.

From the Norfolk Beacon.

INTERESTING NARRATIVE.

The following narrative was handed to us a few days since, for publication, by Mr. William Anderson, who is the subject of it. We had a long and interesting conversation with him, during which he communicated many facts and circumstances, leaving, on our minds an entire conviction, that he has passed through the scenes which he describes. We may give some further particulars of his history in a future number.--In the mean time, we will only say, that he is a man of strong, though uncultivated mind; of plain and unsophisticated manners, and possesses a very retentive memory, which has enabled him (though debarred the privilege of committing any fact to paper) during his involuntary exile from his country, to keep a register of events and occurrences so correctly. that he is willing to give them to the public under the sanction of an oath--having previously established his claims to credibility. He has left this place for Winchester. and we are in daily expectation of hearing of his safe arrival among his friends

William Anderson, aged 37 years, (son of David Anderson farmer. a native of this state,) was born at Chestnut Level. Frederick county, Winchester About 15th of January, 1784. having entered into partnership with George Johnson. (a young man about his own age,) son of a farmer of the same name, also residing in Frederick county, they left the place of their nativity for Pittsburg, whence they proceeded, with a number of flat bottom. ed boats. loaded with venison, hams, bear skins, flour. whiskey, tobacco, and some cotton, down the Ohio to New-Orleans.

Here, having sold their cargo, they purchased a brig called the Betsey, of New- Orleans, navigated by capt. George Ed. wards, and took in a cargo of flour and dry goods, for account of Mr. George Morgan of New-Orleans, and Mr. William Morgan of New-York, and sailed from that port on the 10th October of the same year, on a trading voyage, for Rio Janeiro, where they disposed of their cargo for specie; thence they were to proceed up the Red Sea, and down the Commondal coast to Canton. On or about the 10th of October. 1804. Anderson and Johnson, with four seamen and two negro boys being ashore on a fowling excursion, on the Arabian shore, near Mo. culla, were captured by a party of wild Arabs, Anderson and Johnson were separated from their companions and carried to the Persian Gulph, where they were sold to an Arab, who was the Scheik of Russelkaima, known in that country by the name of Scheik Abdallah, chief of the Wahabee Pirates. What became of the seamen and negroes he cannot even conjecture. After acquiring a tolerably correct knowledge of the language, and becoming useful in the military service, they were treated with great kindness, and at the expiration of two years and a half, they were transferred, under strong recommendations. to the Gwicuar,

Prince of Guzzerat, residing at Brodera, the chief town of that principality. They were now invested with an army of the Gwicuar, and contended with the forces of the British East India Company, until the death of the Gwicuar, on the succession of his son to the government, he made peace with the English, who demanded that Anderson and Johnson should be given up to them.--The demand however was not acceded to.

At this juncture the Mahratta states were engaged in active hostilities against the English, and Anderson and Johnson were sent to join the standard of Peasant- row Holkar, one of their chiefs. The Mahratta forces were very successful, until the general pacification of the European Continent enabling the English to reinforce their army very considerably, the Mahrattas were unable longer to contend with them, and suffered a total defeat on the 25th of April, 1817, in a general engagement with the British under General Malcolm, on the plains of of Meedpoor, in which battle Johnson was killed. The Mahratta army being now completely put to the route, and the English and their allies in full possession
of the country. Anderson bethought himself of an expedient to make his escape, and for this purpose disguised himself in the character of a Mahometan pilgrim going to Mecca, where he was seized by the Sultan, put on board the East-India company's brig Vestal, Capt. Watson, and carried to Bombay. Not finding any American Consul, or American shipping at Bombay, he was compelled to work his passage on board the British E. India ship Hertfordshire, capt. Hope, to Canton, and thence to the port of London, where he arrived about 17th or 18th Sept. last, and made known his circumstances to Col. Aspinwall, American Consul at that port who treated him great kindness, and sent him home in the ship Henry Clay, Capt. Cantt, which arrived in Hampton Roads on the third inst. whence came up to this place. --He feels filled with gratitude to a kind and merciful Providence, that he is once more permitted to tread his native soil, although in a very destitute condition. It is his intention to proceed immediately to the place of his birth as soon as circumstances will permit, to publish a correct narrative of the interesting scenes through which he has passed, during an exile of eighteen years in a country where civilization is almost a stranger. He has ample materials for such a history, which in the hands of a man of erudition, would, he thinks, yield a volume no less gratifying to the curious than useful to the historian.