The captivity, sufferings, and escape of James Scurry

The captivity, sufferings, and escape of James Scurry - Who was detained a prisoner during ten years, in the dominions of Hyder Ali and Tippoo Saib

Hyder Ali Cawn, and his son Tippoo Saib, have long been distinguished, and not less detested, throughout every part of the civilized world, for the cruelties which they practised on their prisoners of war, during their dominion in India. Of their unexampled barbarities, many accounts have been published in England; and the enormities which these narratives record would have staggered credulity itself, had not the few mutilated wretches who have escaped their tyranny, furnished evidence by their appearance, that a faithful detail of facts could leave but little room for exaggeration. In addition to those tales of horror which have been submitted to the public eye, there are others, equally affecting, on which no written register has ever conferred its honours. These, while the unhappy victims whose sufferings they record were alive, obtained for a season a local circulation; but no sooner had they found a refuge in the grave, than these tales began to fade in the recollection of tradition, and gradually to retire into oblivion, where they also have found repose. To some few a more protracted existence has been allotted. One of these has just fallen into the publishers hands; and he conceives he shall promote the cause of humanity by giving publicity to the unvarnished narrative. It was written by James Scurry, lately deceased, who actually endured the cruelties which he describes. In some prefatory papers connected with the history of his sufferings, Mr. Scurry observes, that the following account was partly written during his passage from India to this country, and partly after his return to the arms of an affectionate mother, who had long thought him dead. He also states, that his narrative might be considerably enlarged, were he to delineate the various scenes he has been called to witness; but having some doubts as to the exact period of their occurrence, and the circumstances connected with them, he has omitted the relation altogether, that nothing might furnish an occasion to impeach his veracity. Respecting the geography and natural history of the country in which he was detained a prisoner, he adds, that he had no opportunity of making sufficient observations; and to give an accurate account of the manners and customs of the inhabitants, would require talents to which he lays no claim, and a period of time that would include nearly the life of man. In apologizing for any inaccuracies or inelegancies that may appear in his language, the author justly observes, that from about the age of fifteen to twenty-five, being detained a prisoner, he was cut off from all means of improvement; and having but little hope of ever revisiting his native land, he had no inducement to make the attempt, if the means had been placed within his reach. Indeed, such was the malignant vigilance with which all the prisoners were watched, that had he been detected in committing any thing to writing, the discovery would most probably have cost him his life. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 51176
Author: Scurry, James
Release Date: Feb 11, 2016
Format: eBook
Language: English