THE REVEREND DR. J. LEWIS KRAPF “NARRATIVE HISTORY” AMOUNTS TO FABULATION, THE REAL STUFF BEING MERE CHRONOLOGY “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project Johann Ludwig Krapf HDT WHAT? INDEX JOHANN LUDWIG KRAPF THE REVEREND DR. J. LEWIS KRAPF 1806 September 5, Friday: Karl Wilhelm Isenberg was born at Barmen in the industrial sector of western Germany. He would translate the BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER into Marathi and Amharic and assist in revision of translations of the BIBLE into Amharic and Marathi. The Emperor Napoléon, who definitely did not enjoy being opposed, fearful he said that there was some sort of international conspiracy going on against France (Lord knows why!), called to service 50,000 conscripts and 30,000 reservists.1 At the “Lewis and Clark” encampment south of what has become Decatur, Nebraska, at a lake formed by a cut-off oxbow on the Missouri River, Meriwether Lewis was “still in a convalescent state” from having been shot in the butt by Pierre Cruzatte (Pierre had only one eye, and the Captain had been mistaken, in his buckskin outfit, for an elk). NOBODY COULD GUESS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN NEXT 1. Have you died for your nation yet? HDT WHAT? INDEX THE REVEREND DR. J. LEWIS KRAPF JOHANN LUDWIG KRAPF 1810 January 11, Thursday: Johann Ludwig Krapf was born into a Lutheran family of farmers at Derendingen, near Tübingen in Württemberg, in southwestern Germany. He would be found to have a gift for languages, and would initially studied Latin, Greek, French, and Italian, adding more and more languages throughout his life. The Emperor Napoléon and Joséphine de Beauharnais, age 46, formally ended their childless marriage (on March 11th, petitioner would remarry, by proxy, with Maria Ludovica Leopoldina Franziska Therese Josepha Lucia von Habsburg-Lothringen of Austria, age 18 and never been kissed). In Newport, Rhode Island, Friend Stephen Wanton Gould wrote in his journal: 5th day 1st M 11th// At Meeting the mind was rather barran & dry, tho’ before & since a good degree of life has been experienced —I feel oppressed & depressed with my infirmities within & trials without — Called at brother D R’s thins eveng & set a little while very pleasantly — ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— LIFE IS LIVED FORWARD BUT UNDERSTOOD BACKWARD? — NO, THAT’S GIVING TOO MUCH TO THE HISTORIAN’S STORIES. LIFE ISN’T TO BE UNDERSTOOD EITHER FORWARD OR BACKWARD. “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project Johann Ludwig Krapf HDT WHAT? INDEX JOHANN LUDWIG KRAPF THE REVEREND DR. J. LEWIS KRAPF 1820 January 16, Sunday: Johannes Rebmann was born at Gerlingen near Stuttgart, Germany. He would become the initial European to sight the snows of Mount Kilimanjaro — and be ridiculed. Commodore James Barron wrote a duel challenge letter to Commodore Stephen “Our Country Right or Wrong” Decatur: “Sir: Your letter of the 29th ultimo, I have received. In it you say that you have now to inform me that you shall pay no further attention to any communications that I may make to you, other than a direct call to the field; in answer to which I have only to reply that whenever you will consent to meet me on fair and equal grounds, that is, such as two honorable men may consider just and proper, you are at liberty to view this as that call. The whole tenor of your conduct to me justifies this course of proceeding on my part. As for your charges and remarks, I regard them not, particularly your sympathy. You know no such feeling. I cannot be suspected of making the attempt to excite it. I am, sir, yours, etc., James Barron.” Two Russian vessels, the Vostok and the Mirny, Captain Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev, in expedition led by Thaddeus von Bellingshausen, reached 69° 25 minutes South and 1° 11 minutes [West?] and were halted by the Fimbul Ice Shelf. They sighted the Antarctic continent on their horizon, the 1st human beings to do so. In the diary of Thomas Nuttall we find: “Interest, curiosity, and speculation, had drawn the attention of men of education and wealth toward this country, since its separation into a territory; we now see an additional number of lawyers, doctors, and mechanics. The retinue and friends of the governor, together with the officers of justice, added also essential importance to the...” In Newport, Rhode Island, Friend Stephen Wanton Gould wrote in his journal: 1st day 17 [?] of 1 M / The Morning meeting was silent till near the close of it when our friend D Buffum was engaged in a short & very lively testimony & the meeting closed under a good savor. —Silent in the Afternoon. — Anne Dennis came home with is & took tea & set the evening, her company was very pleasant. — RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS HDT WHAT? INDEX THE REVEREND DR. J. LEWIS KRAPF JOHANN LUDWIG KRAPF 1827 Johann Ludwig Krapf matriculated at the Basel Mission Seminary in Switzerland. He would discontinue his studies there when he experienced doubts about a missionary vocation. NO-ONE’S LIFE IS EVER NOT DRIVEN PRIMARILY BY HAPPENSTANCE “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project Johann Ludwig Krapf HDT WHAT? INDEX JOHANN LUDWIG KRAPF THE REVEREND DR. J. LEWIS KRAPF 1829 Johann Ludwig Krapf matriculated at Tübingen University in Württemberg, Germany as a student of theology. THE FUTURE IS MOST READILY PREDICTED IN RETROSPECT “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project Johann Ludwig Krapf HDT WHAT? INDEX THE REVEREND DR. J. LEWIS KRAPF JOHANN LUDWIG KRAPF 1834 Johann Ludwig Krapf graduated from Tübingen University in Württemberg, Germany. THE FUTURE CAN BE EASILY PREDICTED IN RETROSPECT “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project Johann Ludwig Krapf HDT WHAT? INDEX JOHANN LUDWIG KRAPF THE REVEREND DR. J. LEWIS KRAPF 1836 Johann Ludwig Krapf was serving as an assistant village pastor in Germany when he met a Basel missionary who encouraged him to resume his missionary vocation. He prepared himself for missionary work in Ethiopia by learning the ancient Ge’ez and the Amharic language of the Ethiopian highlands. DO I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION? GOOD. Johann Ludwig Krapf “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project HDT WHAT? INDEX THE REVEREND DR. J. LEWIS KRAPF JOHANN LUDWIG KRAPF 1837 The Reverend Johann Ludwig Krapf left Basel to work with the Anglican Church Missionary Society in Africa. Landing at Tadjura in Ethiopia, he followed the trade route to Shewa and presented himself to its ruler or Meridazmach, Sahle Selassie. December: The Reverend Johann Ludwig Krapf arrived at Massowa in Africa. He would accompany the Meridazmach, Sahle Selassie, on a military campaign in southern Shewa and find that his pietist background in Germany had not prepared him to appreciate Ethiopian Christianity, especially its emphasis on saints, liturgy, and traditional reliance upon Ge’ez, a language no longer available to the general population. All nine of the slave ships that we know were entering American waters during this month were flying the Portuguese flag. The Constitucion and the Carlota, masters unknown, out of unknown areas of Africa on one or the other of their two known Middle Passages, were arriving in Cuban waters. The Maria Segundo, master J. Garcia, out of Angola with a cargo of 573 enslaved Africans on one of its numerous known Middle Passage voyages, was arriving at Campos, Brazil (possibly this negrero stopped off first at a port on the coast of Cuba). The Liberal, master unknown, out of Angola with a cargo of 348 enslaved Africans on one of its four known Middle Passage voyages, was arriving at the port of Sao Sebastiao, Brazil. The Lusitania, master unknown, out of Mocambique with a cargo of 800 enslaved Africans on one or the other of its two known Middle Passages, was arriving at Campos, Brazil. The Josefina, master unknown, out of Angola with a cargo of 300 enslaved Africans on one of its twelve-count-’em-twelve known Middle Passage voyages, was arriving at the port of Alto Moirao, Brazil. The Henriqueta, master unknown, out of Cape Lopez with a cargo of 319 enslaved Africans on its second of two known Middle Passages, was arriving at Campos, Brazil. The Esperanca, master unknown, out of Angola with a cargo of 382 enslaved Africans on one of its ten-count-’em-ten known Middle Passage voyages, was arriving at a port in Brazil. The Dois D’Abril, master unknown, out of Angola with a cargo of 283 enslaved Africans on one of its three known Middle Passage voyages, was arriving at the port of Copacabana, Brazil. THE MIDDLE PASSAGE CHANGE IS ETERNITY, STASIS A FIGMENT Johann Ludwig Krapf “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project HDT WHAT? INDEX JOHANN LUDWIG KRAPF THE REVEREND DR. J. LEWIS KRAPF 1840 Imam Sayyid Said, ruler of Oman (1806-1856), made Zanzibar, a small island off the east African coast, his capital. HDT WHAT? INDEX THE REVEREND DR. J. LEWIS KRAPF JOHANN LUDWIG KRAPF 1842 The Reverend Johann Ludwig Krapf received a doctorate from Tübingen University for his research into the Ethiopian languages. He was forced, however, to go on furlough from Ethiopia, because all western missionaries were being expelled. He found his way to Gondar blocked by the aftermath of the Battle of Debre Tabor, and retraced his steps to the court of Adara Bille, a chieftain of the Wollo Oromo, only to be stripped of his supplies. Krapf and his servants escaped and, begging of the local inhabitants, managed to find their way back to the coast, to Massawa. He made his way to Alexandria, Egypt and got married. WHAT I’M WRITING IS TRUE BUT NEVER MIND YOU CAN ALWAYS LIE TO YOURSELF Johann Ludwig Krapf “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project HDT WHAT? INDEX JOHANN LUDWIG KRAPF THE REVEREND DR.