_ 174 _ to have everything explained at length. Your Highness is renowned for listening and answering. Thus, I should consider it a great favour if you would deign to reply to this letter. Item 51: If Your Highness would give me authority to govern, you might profit from my limited intelligence despite the fact that you have enough people with great insight and wisdom to govern the world. Sometimes an unlettered person gives better advice than an intellectual. I have seen many things in my life and if you were to summon me I could give you an account of all my experiences. Item 52: I should be most grateful to Your Highness if you would send me a document confirming my freedom from slavery in your own hand because the letter of manumission that the Commander-in-Chief gave me in Aden was torn up when we arrived in India and I was told that I would not get another unless Aden was captured. I informed the Commander that I considered myself fortunate to be Your Highness’s slave because in these lands only the slaves of Kings and Lords are honoured. If this were not, so then I would point out that I had time to escape if I had so wished. Besides, I did not consider myself a captive because I trusted in Your Highness.
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