Ry-Nanno; that Rer Vovvern was dead, and that his son deaan Mernaugha
now succeeded him; and that his nephew deaan Trongha, assisted by his
brother Rer Befaugher, and deaan Mernaugha’s brother Rer Mundrosser,
commanded the army. As I was conversing with the deaan, I could not help
expressing my sorrow for Rer Vovvern’s death; because he was so faithful
a friend to all white men. I found he suspected my design immediately,
for he told me, though in a very courteous manner, that he hoped I had
no temptation to change my place of abode through his treatment of me.
To which I replied, after thanking him for all his favours, that I had
no thought of removing from my habitation; that I was conscious to
myself that I lived as well, or better than I could do in any other
place. And, indeed, this was really fact, for he treated me with the
utmost humanity and complaisance. I eat and drank as he did, and did no
manner of work; but I perceived by this, he was not inclined to part
with me. For which reason, I was under a necessity to be more close and
artful, than I should have been had I made such a discovery.
Orders were sent to the three towns under deaan Afferrer’s command, that
instead of hunting the wild cattle, they should make proper preparations
for hunting the wild boar; by which they meant the king of Merfaughla.
Whereupon, all hands were instantly at work, cleaning and fitting up
their arms; for there are artificers here, who can make or mend a
spring, and do twenty other things to guns as well as lances. The women
employed themselves in making caps, to distinguish us in the wars; these
were made of the same materials as our mats. The children beat Guinea
corn in order to carry with us. I made it my business to put deaan
Afferrer’s and my own gun in order; and to cast a considerable quantity
of shot or rather slugs, by making a hole with a round stick in a lump
of clay, to cast the lead in; and cutting it afterwards into little
pieces about half an inch long. Though they frequently buy shot at the
seaports, yet this was made, as I imagine, of the lead which they had
procured from the wreck of our ship.
Ry-Nanno went back, after he had given notice of the Feraignher army’s
march to deaan Trongha, in order to meet him at vohitch manner,
according to appointment. Deaan Crindo sent orders that we should march,
and meet him at the river, where we watered our cattle, in deaan
Murnanzack’s country. I might have stayed at home, if I had thought
proper; but I was resolved at all adventures to go with them, though I
told deaan Afferrer, I was under some apprehensions of my old master
Mevarrow, whom, I concluded, I should see there. But he bid me be under
no concern on that account, for he would protect me; and deaan Mevarrow,
he was well assured, would make no disturbance in the army. However, it
happened better than I expected, for Mevarrow was left behind sick of
the colah; which, in Guinea, or the West Indies, is called the yaws. It
is a cruel distemper, and bears a near resemblance to the venereal
disease, affects the bones and joints with great pain and soreness,
breaks out all over in blotches and dry scabs, and is mostly in the
privy parts, and under the arm-pits. However, it is not actually that
complaint; for I have known children of three or four years old have it,
whose parents never knew by experience what it was. There are but few
who escape it once in their lifetime, but then they never have it more.
In that respect, it is like the small pox, or the itch; and caught also
as they are. If a person, who never had it, follow one infected in the
long grass or bushes, if he lie or sit on the same mat, or even eat and
drink after the diseased person, he most assuredly catches it. For which
reason they send their children, when afflicted with it, out to nurse,
to such persons as live alone in remote places; and when a man, woman,
or a whole family is taken with it, they oblige them to go into the
woods, and tarry there till they are perfectly recovered; which is
frequently a whole year, and sometimes two.
It was good news to me to hear that deaan Mevarrow was left at home
infected with this distemper, and that deaan Sambo had the command of
the people in his stead; for I knew, by experience, that he was none of
my enemy, though he demanded me in his brother’s name upon his first
arrival; but when deaan Afferrer had expostulated the case with him, and
told him what answer he had returned him by the messengers; when he
urged, that it was natural for a man to fly for his life, who was every
day in danger, and treated like a brute, had he been a lawful slave,
which was not the case here, deaan Sambo gave up the argument, and
turning to me, asked if he had not several times saved me? I readily
owned the obligation. Do not be afraid, said he, for I shall not insist
on my demand any more; but pray come often and see me as a friend. I
gratefully acknowledged all his favours, and particularly thanked him
for this last signal one, for he confirmed the account I had given of
myself before.
As deaan Crindo had intelligence of the day the Feraingher army was to
join them, he put himself in a posture to receive them with abundance of
form and ceremony. He was seated under a great tamarind tree, with his
sons according to their seniority on his right hand, and all their
people; on his left were deaan Murnanzack and his brethren, with all
their people. The whole assembly formed a line of above a quarter of a
mile in length. After a short time, the Feraingher army appeared, and as
they advanced, they came dancing, each with a gun in his left hand, and
a lance in his right, their shells sounding, and their drums beating. At
a small distance they fired some pieces by way of salutation, which we
immediately returned; and now the three generals, deaan Trongha, Rer
Befaugher, and Rer Mondrosser, went up to deaan Crindo and the rest.
After the usual salutations, they were all seated under the tamarind
tree, and ten calabashes of toake were sent for by deaan Crindo to
entertain them. I sat all this time behind deaan Afferrer, with his gun
in my hand. After mutual assurances of an inviolable friendship, the
division of the prices of cattle was settled and adjusted. Deaan Crindo
and his sons were to have one third; deaan Murnanzack and his brethren
another; and deaan Trongha and his brother and cousin the remainder.
After they had amicably concluded their own affairs, and begun to be gay
over their toake, says deaan Trongha, you have got a white man amongst
you, I perceive. Yes, says deaan Crindo, this is one of those who took
me and my nephew prisoners, and would have delivered us into deaan
Tuley-Noro’s hands, who was our adversary. I don’t think, says deaan
Trongha, they would have done you any harm; you must doubtless have
given them some provocation first. I did them no injury, replied the
other, as I know of, unless maintaining them well was doing them
injustice. They were inclined, indeed, to go to Antenosa, and I would
rather have detained them to assist me in the wars; and was not this,
says deaan Trongha, a manifest injury, and a just provocation, to keep
free men against their wills in a country far from their native homes.
I’ll tell you, however, a very remarkable transaction of my
grandfather’s with these white men, before he was rightly acquainted
with them.
An English ship came to our seaport town, which they call St.
Augustine-bay, in order to buy provisions and furnish themselves with
water. They did not go up to my grandfather’s town, but he thought
proper to visit them, and made the captain a voluntary present of two
oxen; and the captain as voluntarily gave him a gun, and some powder and
shot, as a compensation. The whites built themselves a house upon the
shore, for the reception of their sick men. Some few days after we had
been here, the white men and some of ours got in liquor together, and a
quarrel arose amongst them. At first, indeed, they only beat one another
with their fists; but at length, they made use of weapons, and a white
man was killed upon the spot by one of ours. The news being carried
immediately to the ship, the captain came on shore, and after a strict
inquiry into the matter, he laid hold of the king whilst his people ran
to the boat and fetched their arms. My father and Rer Vovvern instantly
placed themselves at the head of our people, and would have attacked
them, but my grandfather prevented them, for he was morally assured of
being killed by one side or the other, so he went contentedly on board
their ship. The fishermen were under no apprehensions of danger from the
whites notwithstanding this disturbance, for they knew them; and,
besides, were well acquainted with their manners; so they went on board,
and asked what the captain’s demands were of the king? He said
satisfaction for the loss of his white man. They returned, and in the
name of the king’s two sons, asked what satisfaction he required? The
captain insisted on their sending him the man who killed the Englishman
and ten oxen as an equivalent. The fishermen had no more wit than to
deliver their message in the hearing of the murderer; whereupon, he fled
directly into the woods, so that when they sent to secure him, he was
not to be found. The fishermen returned to the captain, and assured him
that they had made strict search for the criminal, but could not find
him; however, if he would be contented with a slave or two in his stead,
or with twenty oxen, they were willing to give him them. At this the
captain was very angry, and peremptorily insisted on their producing the
same man; for he had murdered his man in a most barbarous manner, and
unless they found him, he would keep their father; but, notwithstanding,
he would allow them ten days’ time to make their farther search for him.
During all that interval, my grandfather’s legs were loaded with irons,
in order to prevent his making his escape; however, he eat and drank
with the captain all the ten days’ time, and was treated in a very
courteous manner. When the term granted was expired, and the captain was
fully satisfied they had done all they could to find out the murderer,
though to no purpose, he took the irons off the king’s legs, and asked
him if he would enter into a solemn oath, never from that hour to do any
act of injustice to an Englishman, or suffer any of his people to do it,
if he could possibly prevent it. To which my father readily consented.
When he had dined with the captain, they came on shore together. What!
says deaan Crindo, do you and your family eat with white men? Yes, says
deaan Trongha, we Andry Voler, for that is the surname of the family,
not only eat out of the same dish, but drink out of the same cup too,
and look upon them as a part of our own family. We never attempted to
assume any authority over them; they come when they please, and go where
they please with us; and if any idle fellows do what they ought not to
do, their captain never hinders their being punished. These white men
are very advantageous to us, and they would not come amongst us, if we
did not treat them with civility; besides, our grandfather has laid us
all under a solemn oath, with a curse annexed to all our posterity, who
shall treat an Englishman with severity; for, as soon as he and the
captain came on shore, the owley was brought out, and they entered into
a solemn and perpetual friendship, which all of us strictly observe, and
imagine that God will not prosper us should we break it.
My grandfather hereupon gave the captain twenty oxen, which, though he
received, he would return an equivalent in guns and other things; and
had we this white man amongst us, we should give him such clothes as his
countrymen have left who died there. He will never wear any of his own
country clothes again, says deaan Crindo, I believe. Better you were
hanged, thought I, though I durst not say so.
The next day we marched to the borders of Merfaughla, and there
encamped. I lay always in deaan Afferrer’s tent. The next morning,
however, we shifted our quarters and marched a great way into the
country towards Manner-ronder, a small river passing through several
small towns, but found the inhabitants had abandoned them, and from the
dung of the cattle, which was very dry, we judged they had been gone
about a fortnight; for Woozington was a politic man, and would leave
nothing for us to subsist on; neither would he weaken his army by
fruitless skirmishes and unnecessary attempts, but wait till he was
fully apprized of our strength by his spies, and had collected all the
force he could to oppose us. A man came to me from deaan Trongha, and
told me privately that his master desired to speak with me, to which I
answered, I would wait on him, as soon as I could possibly contrive to
come without being observed. Accordingly, in about two or three days, I
found a proper opportunity, and told deaan Afferrer I was going to see
deaan Sambo. You need not ask me leave, said he, but don’t go any where
else; by which I knew his meaning, and found he was jealous of me.
However, I returned, and by private ways, and in the dark got to deaan
Trongha’s tent, where was a numerous assembly. He spoke to me in
English, and asked me how I did? I was obliged to answer him in the
Madagascar language, for I had forgotten I told him my mother tongue.
This, and my being naked withal, moved his compassion to that degree,
that he spoke as indulgent things to me as my own father could; and
assured me, that if he could find any means to take me with him, he
would send me home in the first ship. Whilst we were talking, Rer
Befaugher came in, who shaking me by the hand, said, Brother, how do you
do? I answered very well, but could speak no more English, without a
mixture of this country language. They informed me that there had lately
been some English men of war in quest of pirates; and that they had
directed them to St. Mary’s, and Mattatanna, which are situate on the
other side of the island; and that there was but one white amongst them,
and he a Dutchman; and moreover, that an Englishman had been killed not
long since in the wars. I told him I was determined, at all adventures,
to escape and follow them, but they said they would purchase me, though
they gave six slaves for me. After thanks for so courteous a promise,
and a mutual agreement not to take any public notice of each other, I
took my leave of them and went to deaan Sambo’s tent, who also treated
me in a very handsome manner. He told me he was going to live by
himself, and asked me if I would come to him? and I promised him I
would. I took my leave and returned to our tent. The next morning we
held a consultation, in which it was determined to throw the army into
three divisions and march abreast; but at a quarter of a mile distance
from one another. We saw nobody all this time, till we were near the
capital town, and then we perceived their spies that observed us, but
the inhabitants were all fled. We passed the river Manner-ronder, and
encamped upon the plain; we had not been long there before three men
called to our people, and desired them to acquaint deaan Crindo that
deaan Woozington proposed to pay him a visit next morning. Now he was an
artful man, and full of stratagems, so they knew he would endeavour to
surprise or overreach them. Upon which, we went hard to work to fortify
the camp, which was thrown in a circular form. We cut down several trees
and set up forked limbs; the spaces were filled with great pieces of
wood, piled one upon another lengthways, at least four feet high, and as
they joined close, they made a wall of it. In the next place, we dug the
ground about a foot deep, and about seven feet wide, and threw up the
earth against the wooden pile to make the wall still stronger; we left
only two narrow entrances. The loose small boughs, with the leaves, were
thrown carelessly, as it were, without side to hide the fortifications,
so that it looked like nothing but a common method they observed, in
order to conceal their numbers. When our camp was made secure, some few
cattle were killed and we all went to supper, and then laid us down
under our tent clothes, for we did not set our tents up, neither did we
pull off our lambers, but lay close under the fortifications, prepared
for an attack; the slaves that carried the provision were planted in the
center.
We arose by break of day, putting our guns through little holes which we
had left in our wall on purpose, and kneeled to fight with the more
ease, and to take the better aim. We had not been in readiness above ten
minutes before we saw them coming down with fury upon us. Whilst we were
preparing to receive them, another party appeared on the contrary side,
and proposed to have come upon our backs, but as we were in a circle we
were all front. Our shells were immediately sounded, and our drums
beaten, but we soon altered this for another kind of noise. When they
came within thirty yards of us, they fired briskly, still approaching,
and having no notion of our wall, expected we should soon retreat from
behind the boughs. I observed their eyes red with smoking jermaughla,
which made them more resolute than usual. Of this I shall give a
particular description after the account of the engagement. Ry-Opheck,
with a body of men, attacked one of our entrances; he came skipping
along, his eyes glowed like fire; he had a lance in one hand, and a gun
in the other; his people ran after him in so furious a manner, that
Trodaughe and his people, who should have defended the passage, gave
way. We were employed on our side, and knew nothing of it till he had
got within our camp; at which time one of our chief men turning about
and seeing Ry-Opheck stabbing our men, fired at him, and shot him in the
belly. When he found himself wounded, he retreated, and fell about
thirty or forty yards from the place: his people, instead of revenging
his cause, turned backward when he did. How common men will sometimes
mimic a general’s behaviour! But when they saw him fall, they returned
to bring off his body, and this brought on a warm engagement in the open
field; for deaan Afferrer jumped over the works, and most of us, who
were his people, after him, and forced them to retreat. Here one, who
was distinguished from the rest by his yellow complexion, and who seemed
of superior rank, took aim at me, but luckily missing me, I wounded him
in the thigh and ran up to him. I found his hand was full of powder, in
order to charge again, and he threatened me hard, but I snatched his
lance from him, and prevented him from either doing me any farther
mischief, or hurting any body else. Another such push on the contrary
side so totally defeated the enemy, that they flew for it; and we
pursued them, but not indeed very far; because we were unwilling to
divide ourselves, lest Woozington should have turned and taken the
advantage of our confusion, which he certainly would have done, had an
opportunity offered.
When we returned to our camp, the deaans all assembled at deaan Crindo’s
tent, who took notice of each individual man according to his merit,
returning them thanks for their courage and conduct. He next made
inquiry what men were lost on our side, and found no more than sixteen
killed, and thirteen wounded. After that he sent out to number the dead
bodies of the enemy, and found the total amounted to one hundred and
seventy-five; among whom were sixteen persons of distinction; two of
Woozington’s younger sons, Metorolahatch and Rer Fungenzer; his nephews,
Ry-Opheck and Rer Chula; the names of the rest I never heard. Deaan
Crindo gave orders that the bodies of these sixteen great men should be
cut to pieces and scattered about the field, that their friends might
not bury them. Two or three days afterwards we marched farther into
Merfaughla, plundering and spoiling all their plantations.
As these people are more addicted to smoke jermaughla than any others,
it will be proper to give a description of it here. It is a plant that
grows about five feet high, and bears a small long leaf with a cod,
which contains about a dozen seeds like hempseed. These leaves and seeds
are mingled together, and laid in the sun for three or four days
successively, till they are very dry, and so prepared, are fit to be
smoked. Their pipes are made of reeds, or rather small canes. Sometimes
they make use of a very long shell, which answers the end proposed. The
quality of it is such that it makes them drunk; their eyes look red and
fiery, and their looks fierce and savage. It is easy to know a man who
smokes jermaughla; whilst the effects last, they are more vigorous and
resolute, acting as it were like madmen. Those who are too much addicted
to it are good for nothing but during the time they are intoxicated with
it. My curiosity led me once to smoke a little myself; but it made my
head so giddy, that I was drunk, as it were, for three days together,
and so sick that I never meddled more with it.
Our spies were two days before they could discover any cattle. At
length, however, they informed us they had heard some bellow, whereupon
a thousand men were detached to fetch them. They were gone a whole week;
they returned, however, with above two thousand beeves, and two hundred
and fifty captives, women and children. This great prize made them fond
of a second expedition; so, upon a consultation, a new camp was formed,
and fortified in the same manner as before; in which deaan Crindo
remained with four thousand men, whilst two thousand went out to
plunder; and on their return two thousand more were to go.
Deaan Afferrer, deaan Sambo, Rer Mimebolambo, and Rer Befaugher, went
out with two thousand men. We had three or four for our guides who were
perfectly well acquainted with the country, and knew where the cattle
were usually fed. We were two days before we came to any of their
tracks, and then they were driven off, and, as appeared by their marks,
quite different ways. So our army divided, deaan Sambo and Rer Befaugher
went northward, and we south-west. We marched in the tracks all day and
all the next night, as it was moonshine. We found ourselves in the
morning near the sea, where they had driven the beasts to the margin of
the water, that the ebbing and flowing and the wash of the sea might
efface their footsteps on the sands; as indeed it did in a great
measure: but we continued our march all day, till we found out where
they turned off towards the woods. The next morning our spies came in,
and informed us, that they heard a cow bellow. We soon came to the
plain, where we found a hundred at least, but these were not sufficient;
and therefore, narrowly observing their footsteps, we traced them
farther, and found eight or nine hundred more. Here were besides two or
three hundred sheep, which we killed, the best of them we dressed, and
left the others behind us. However, we were in great want of water, for
we had none for nearly two days. At length one of our scouts discovered
a pond, where the cattle used to drink, and this, though hot and foul,
we eagerly drank, as we could get no better. Till this time we saw no
enemies, though we expected them, for we could see the cow-herds fly
from their cattle, in order, no doubt, to alarm their masters. And as
some of us were taking up this water, as clean as we could, in our
calabashes, and whilst one in particular was stooping down to wash his
lamber, a volley of shot was fired amongst us before we perceived any
body. We looked up and saw about eight or ten men, who ran back into the
wood, which extended along on the other side of the water, within three
or fourscore yards. We fired at them, but they vanished out of sight.
None of us were hurt, but the man who was washing his lamber; he
received a shot in his fundament, of which he instantly expired.