gathered abundance of the fruit. I asked them what they did with it. Eat
it said they. I told them, it was impossible to eat much of it, without
setting their teeth on edge. It is sour enough, indeed, said they, if we
do not put ashes to it to make it sweet. I laughed at them for their
ignorance, but when I came home there were platters full mixed with them
for our supper. The strings of the tamarinds, which are white, appearing
in it when thus mixed, I could not forbear comparing it to mortar with
hair in it; but when I tasted it, I found it was sweet beyond my
expectations. I could not, however, be rightly reconciled to it at
first, being prejudiced as men too frequently are, even against the
testimony of their senses. Deaan Trongha perceiving that I did not much
like my mess, assured me that this was always esteemed amongst them a
pleasant dish, when they had the greatest profusion of other things.
Sometimes, indeed, said he, we have nothing else to eat. I have seen
many odd things eaten, but nothing ever surprised me more than sour
tamarinds mixed with wood ashes, becoming sweet and palatable. Let the
chemists reason and philosophize upon it at their leisure, I can assure
them it is matter of fact; and can produce several gentlemen now living
in London, to testify the same who have seen me mix it. It did not
rightly agree with me, indeed, the first time I eat it; but after I was
used to it a little, I never found any inconvenience attend it
afterwards.
Deaan Trongha had two wives, who lived in separate apartments. He
divided himself pretty equally between them, living nearly as much at
one house as at the other, in order to prevent any jealousies on either
side, and to keep up a harmony between them. Now it is customary for
them to appoint every slave his proper mistress, to whose commands he is
peculiarly to attend; and it is her business to see what they want, and
give it them. He did not, however, appoint me any such service; but
said, that as I was a person in distress, and my lot by Providence was
cast amongst them, it was their duty to provide for all such; but as for
me, he had a more particular regard for my misfortunes, for the sake of
my fathers and brothers, (meaning Englishmen;) and for that reason, he
had ordered that I should be taken care of at both their houses, and had
free liberty to go to either of them at my pleasure, where I found the
best entertainment; and, indeed, as long as there was meat, I had my
proportionable share with them. Though he behaved himself with decency
enough to both of them, yet I observed the first wife was a greater
favourite than the other, upon which account, she was distinguished by
the title of his head wife. He was at her apartment when I came first,
and when these directions were given; so she immediately furnished me
with a pot or two, and calabash, &c. for my use; but as she had not
every thing I wanted, he sent a servant with me to the other, and she as
cheerfully supplied me with what my occasion required, chiding me in a
friendly manner for not coming sooner to pay her a visit: so I sat down
and had half an hour’s conversation with her; and to do them both
justice, their behaviour towards me was perfectly courteous and
engaging.
The next morning two messengers came from deaan Mernaugha; deaan Trongha
being desired to go and consult with the king on some affairs of
importance. When they were taking their leave, he would not let them
depart till he had killed a heifer to entertain them with,
notwithstanding provision was so very scarce; and here I found the same
generous manner of treating one another as was practised in Anterndroea,
for most of the people in town came about the house, and no one went
away without some portion of beef. As to their cookery, they have but a
slovenly manner of dressing their meat here, for the liver, as soon as
it was extracted, was thrown directly into the fire and broiled in smoke
and ashes, and the entrails were broiled likewise with but very little
cleaning. I had a piece of beef given me to dress at home, and we all
lived well as long as this lasted. When I went the next morning, the
deaan was dressing himself in order to go; for though he had no clothes
to put on, yet some time was spent in curling his hair and platting it
into knots. After he was shaved, the owley was brought out and dressed
to be carried before him, for he went in state. The friendship between
deaan Mernaugha and him not being over hearty or sincere, made him go in
more form than otherwise he would have done. I carried his gun after
him. We marched up an easy ascent of nearly two miles, when I perceived
we were near the sea; the descent on the other side extended to the
shore of St. Augustine-bay, where there were ships generally at anchor.
Here deaan Trongha showed me the spot of ground on which the English
built their houses during their residence in these parts. It was an
agreeable prospect to me, though at that time there were no ships. I saw
some canoes a considerable way out at sea; some men I could perceive
were striking and darting fish, and others in the water, as high as
their knees, at the same diversion; for the sand is almost flat, so that
one may walk at low water above a mile into the sea. The seacoast lay
almost north and south, but from whence I came, it lay east and west.
After we had passed through a wood, on a point of land, we came among
the towns which belonged to deaan Mernaugha. Every body stared to see a
white man naked, and at first took me for the Dutchman who had lived
amongst them, and who would have sometimes very odd freaks; but my fame
flew before me, and when I came to deaan Mernaugha’s, I was very well
known; for after the usual compliments were over, he asked “where was
the white man who came from Anterndroea;” I not being in sight, having
delivered my gun to my master. Whereupon I was called, and seated
amongst them. The king asked me about my travels, and the adventures I
had met with; and I very readily gratified him with my whole story at
large. A bullock was given to deaan Trongha, for the entertainment of
himself and his retinue.
At night there was a long consultation about the posture of affairs:
none were admitted to this august assembly, but a few principal men,
among whom I had the honour to be one; but to my no small mortification,
I heard deaan Mernaugha propose to send nine hundred, or a thousand
people, under the command of deaan Trongha into Merfaughla, to join with
deaan Crindo against deaan Woozington. This scheme was approved of, and
unanimously agreed to; the manner and time were both appointed, which
was not to be till some months after. When we broke up, deaan Trongha
told me the whole assembly had confidence in me; as knowing it to be my
interest to keep their secrets. But, says he, a more than ordinary care
is absolutely necessary at this juncture; for the common people abandon
us to live under other lords, if our proceedings do not please them;
though we aim at nothing but their own security and welfare. They have
not, however, the sense to know it, and will be for ever throwing
reflections on our conduct, and finding fault, though we lose our wives,
families, and cattle, and run all hazards to protect them. It is natural
for the refuse of the people to abuse their superiors; but yet governors
ought nevertheless to study the good of their country, and defend those
under their care from injuries and insults, without regarding such
reflections; but then those things which we very well know beforehand,
and they have not the sense to understand or judge of, ought never to be
divulged.
I assured him of my fidelity, but told him that what I heard gave me no
small uneasiness, since I was apprehensive that he would press me to go
with him; where my former master, Mevarrow, would very probably be,
whose barbarous treatment I had too much experience of, not to dread the
consequence of being again in his power. He replied, that could never
be; for they know (said he) that I am resolute, and that it would be
dangerous for any man to provoke me so far, since it might prove the
ruin of the whole army; for I am determined to protect you at the hazard
of my own life, and revenge with the utmost severity any affront that
shall be offered to you. I was not perfectly satisfied, but as I knew
him to be a man of strict honour, I had all the reason imaginable to
depend upon it. When I returned to my companions, they used their utmost
endeavours to sift out of me the purport of their council; but I told
them with a very careless air, that I stood at a distance, and did not
observe one word that passed.
Deaan Trongha took his leave the next morning, acquainting the king, his
nephew, that his owley had warned him in the night of some danger that
attended his town from the enemy, in case he stayed much longer. As I
was on this side the country, I desired to go and see Eglasse the
Dutchman. The deaan assured me he would make it in his way home. Eglasse
was very much surprised when the children came running to him, and
cried, “Arve verzahar!” that is, a white man is coming; for he knew of
no one in the country. One Efflep a negro of the West Indies, who was
left ashore by pirates many years before, lived not far from him, and
spoke nothing but English; for being very deaf, he never learned the
Madagascar language. He had two sons, however, born on the island of a
native mother, who spoke both languages tolerably well. When I
approached Eglasse, he pulled off his hat to me; but poor Robin was not
in a condition to return the compliment. At first he spoke Dutch to me,
but perceiving I did not understand him, he spoke a little broken
English; and I had as little to say for myself in that, as the other.
Thereupon I asked for an interpreter to speak English for me; which set
deaan Trongha and the rest a laughing at first; but they pitied my hard
lot afterwards, to have lived in a foreign country all the flower of my
age. But James, Efflep’s eldest son, carried on a conversation amongst
us to the entire satisfaction of every one then present. Eglasse pressed
me to live constantly with him; but I told him I would not leave deaan
Trongha on any account whatever. For he was a man of great generosity
and humanity; one, moreover, of great authority, and consequently able
to protect me. I desired, however, that they would procure leave of him,
to let me stay two or three days with them, which they did; and he as
readily agreed to indulge me a whole week. I had heard but an
indifferent character of Eglasse, with respect to his temper; he was
rash and passionate, and would threaten the great men, not excepting the
king himself, upon the slightest provocation, with what he would do as
soon as the first ship arrived. This ill conduct of his rendered him
distasteful to them; and for that reason I was cautious how I entered
into too strict an amity with him. And it will soon appear, that my
fears were justly grounded; for his continued indecent behaviour cost
him his life at last.
Having now taken our farewell of deaan Trongha and his retinue, the pot
was set on the fire by a slave named Toby, with a piece of salt beef,
and potatoes dressed after the English manner. In the mean time, Eglasse
ordered James to relate to me the history of his arrival and adventures
here; and this conducing to my purpose, which is to give such an account
of the various customs and manners of this island as may be useful to
traders and navigators, and pleasing to the curious, I shall only
transcribe here what he then told us.
“At a place called Masseleege,” said he, “on this island to the
northward, there comes once a year a Moorish ship that brings silk
lambers, and many other things to trade with for slaves. At this place
one Burgess, called captain Burgess, and Robert Arnold had a sloop;
Burgess, indeed, commanded, for Arnold knew nothing of navigation; one
was as rich as the other, and both were equally concerned in the vessel.
With this sloop they used to come to Augustine-bay and other places on
the island, in order to buy slaves and carry them to Masseleege against
the moor’s ship arrived. Eglasse sailed with them in this sloop. In one
of their voyages to this place, Burgess and Arnold fell out to that
degree, that the latter would stay no longer with Burgess; but
prevailing on Eglasse to come on shore for his companion, he brought all
his effects with him, consisting of several bags of dollars, a great
many guns, powder, shot, chests of clothes, beads, &c. amounting in the
whole to a considerable value. In a word, every thing that is proper to
trade with in these parts. He told Eglasse that in case he survived him
he should have all his effects; but their design was only to stay till a
ship arrived in which they could procure a passage to Europe. Whether
they durst go to England or not I cannot absolutely say; though I had
good reason to suspect that a great part of these riches were obtained
by piracy. There were two black slaves, this Toby and another, who in
the sequel of this story will be called Robin, who could speak good
English. These swam ashore the same night that captain Burgess sailed
away, and surrendered themselves to Arnold.
“It happened a little before Rer Vovvern’s death, (and which was,
indeed, the occasion of it,) that this country was invaded by two
enemies at the same time; and whilst the greater part of the lords and
people were marched off in order to oppose the northern enemy,
Woozington, who was a southern foe, came unawares upon us, having passed
the great river without being in the least suspected, and a bold general
of his, named Ry-Opheck, attacked the town and the king’s house about
midnight; Rer Vovvern himself was wounded in the thigh. Another party
was likewise coming against us, whereupon every one was for flying to
some shelter or other; as is not only customary, but indeed necessary in
such cases. Arnold and Eglasse, however, having great riches, were
resolved to defend them, and therefore armed themselves with guns,
pistols, and cutlasses; but they no sooner appeared at their door than
Arnold was shot dead on the spot. Eglasse was then glad to fly with his
two slaves, Robin and Toby, for they never left him. The enemy plundered
the house of what they saw convenient; which was all his wearing
apparel, or any thing like it, even his beds for the ticking sake; the
silver being black they knew not what it was, and therefore contented
themselves with throwing it about. As to the cattle which they found in
the pens they killed them all, for they had neither time nor strength
enough to carry them off; nor were they able to defend themselves when
once the country should make head against them. However, they took some
captives and marched off in as great a hurry as they came, lest deaan
Mundrosser, our present king’s brother, who is very well beloved by his
countrymen, and feared by his enemies, should fall upon them; for we
have not a greater man in war than he, deaan Trongha only excepted.
Ry-Opheck’s fears and haste were just and proper; for deaan Mundrosser
mustered an army in a few hours after, and overtook them before they
could pass the river. The sound of his shells added wings to their
flight, insomuch that they left their captives behind them; and he
brought most of our women and children again, so that our loss was
inconsiderable: for as to our valuable goods, we (who were apprehensive
of surprise, and well knew the manner of the country) had dug holes in
the ground and buried them there, and they had no time to search after
them. When my father Efflep, my brother, and I returned, we missed none
of our effects, but very much concerned and surprised to find Arnold not
only dead, but naked; but as to his dollars they lay neglected and
scattered up and down; till some of our people, who were no strangers to
their use and value, took up a great many and concealed them from
Eglasse. We threatened some of them, however, and made them refund,
complaining to deaan Mernaugha; but they were above half lost. Eglasse
was so confounded, that he never returned till some messengers, who were
sent out after him, met with him at last, and conducted him and his two
slaves home. He lives handsomely enough still, though he lost so much,
having a plantation of his own and three or four good milch cows; and he
is able to join with my father to buy an ox notwithstanding it is a very
dear time, a good one being worth now ten dollars. Our king, Rer
Vovvern, died in six weeks after, more with grief than of his wounds. He
was very well beloved, being a good man and a gallant warrior; he was
also a great friend to white men, but more especially to the English. I
must not forget, however, to tell you here is another family you must be
acquainted with too, and that is one Hempshire, a Guinea negro, who was
formerly among the pirates, but has been settled here some considerable
time. He has a very pretty woman to his wife, and also a daughter by
her. Though the man is both blind and poor, yet Eglasse makes him many
presents out of respect to his wife, as we imagine, for they are very
intimate.”
Here Eglasse interrupted James, on hearing his own name and Mrs
Hempshire’s too often, as he thought, mentioned together, and suspected
that James was telling me of their supposed amour; so he broke off the
discourse; though James said he was only expatiating on the
christian-like manner in which he behaved to Hempshire and his family;
but by this time dinner was ready. I found myself here a perfect negro
in my way of eating, for I devoured my meat alone which made them laugh
heartily; but what was a still greater mortification to me was,
Hempshire, his wife and child came to pay me a visit; and Eglasse and he
talked my adventures over in English, and it seemed like unintelligible
jargon which I could not form my tongue to imitate; insomuch that I was
apprehensive that I should never be able to speak my mother tongue
again. A few days’ conversation however among these people, gave me
hopes of recollecting it in time. Efflep and his sons were near
neighbours to Eglasse, where I was invited the next day, and entertained
in a very handsome manner after the English fashion, and much better
than at Eglasse’s. We had not only a couple of capons boiled with rice,
like a pilaw, but another dish of fried meat and boiled potatoes, served
up on pewter plates, so that I began to fancy myself in a christian
country. They also procured some toake for me, as Eglasse had done
before; but it was scarce, there being no honey to be got. This was made
of sugar-canes, which were likewise scarce at this time, and the toake
was much inferior to what we had to the southward; it was strong enough
however to make us a little gay and lively.
As soon as the week was expired I was determined to stay no longer,
notwithstanding they importuned me very much, assuring them I would
procure leave to come again in a short time: nor would I accept of a
guide, since I knew the way. When I came to the seaside I espied a sail
as I thought, though it proved nothing but a large canoe returning from
sea, where the men had been fishing. I waited till they reached the
shore, who seeing me white, though naked, came up to me, and a great
deal of conversation passed between us, they being very inquisitive
after my uncommon adventures. I gave them all the satisfaction I could,
and inquired if there were any likelihood of a ship’s arrival. Before I
took my leave they made me a present of as many fish as I could well
carry with me. When I came home to my own house, I picked out four of
the best, and went to wait on my mistresses, presenting them with two a
piece. Deaan Trongha coming home soon after, was surprised to find fish
there, and highly pleased that I was returned; but was so complaisant as
not to suffer me to lick his feet. He had been all day in the
plantations, pushing the work as forward as he could, that they might
not want for provisions when they came back from the wars; for every
body was busy and making preparations for it. He told me he had ordered
one of his wives to make me a cap; such as we usually wore by way of
distinction. I did not like the proposal, but there was no opposing it.
He gave out to his wives and people that their intention was to invade
deaan Morrochemek, a petty king in the adjacent mountains; this he did,
for fear some of his people should desert and alarm the country of
Merfaughla.
Upon my return home I found visiters in abundance, who flocked about me
for the sake of my fish; but as it was a customary thing, and what I
used to do myself, I could not take it amiss; so I shared them out as
far as they would go.
I slept but this one night in peace and quietness; for next morning I
was called up to attend the deaan, and carry his gun with me to the
plantation. At that time he had no project of great importance in his
head, but before noon a messenger came running in haste with the news,
that an army of ten thousand Saccalauvors (our northern enemies) were at
a town called Murnumbo, within ten or twelve hours’ march of us. Deaan
Trongha was too impatient to hear the whole story, before he ordered his
slaves to leave their work and go home; the hoes and spades were thrown
aside, and the lances taken in hand, every man running home and making
preparation for a march. Messengers were sent to Rer Befaugher, and all
the other neighbouring lords to give their friendly assistance. Some of
the principal men of each town were directed to stay at home, with a
sufficient force to defend their families and cattle, in case Woozington
should be at hand as he was before, in order to take the towns by
surprise, while the fighting men were all engaged another way. I went
home under the plausible view of whetting my lances, but with a
resolution of being out of sight, and, if possible, forgotten; which
succeeded to my wish, for they were soon on their march. When I was well
assured that they were gone, I went in a violent hurry to the head
lady’s house, asking for my master; and being informed he was gone, I
pretended to be in a confusion, and in all the haste imaginable to
follow him; but the women would not let me go; for they ordered the men,
who were left as a guard, to stop me. At length, with much ado it may be
supposed, I was prevailed on to stay, and sat down very contentedly
amongst the women. Most of the town, nay, the very children were there;
or round about the house. Their clamour, prayers, and cries for their
husbands, and idle tattle about the war, were troublesome enough; but
not so bad as running the risk of either life or limb, in fighting the
quarrel of a people, for whom I had no manner of concern.
At night I had several young female visiters, who supped with me on
carravances, of which my mistress had made me a present. Our
conversation was innocent and pleasant, though some of my gay readers
may perhaps imagine otherwise. But be that as it may I can assure them
(to the shame of christianity) there are more modest women in proportion
to the number of people here than in England; even such as would sooner
part with their lives than yield to a man’s embraces, unless they were
taken to wife according to the custom of the country; but such women as
sailors find for their turn, are only slaves brought down to the seaside
and dressed with beads and silk lambers, with no other view than to
allure their gallants and get from them what they can, and though the
gain they make of their prostitution is their master’s, yet most of them
are generous enough to present them with part of the fine things they
get from their cullies; but were these sailors to go up into the
country, they would not find it an easy matter to procure a mistress.
The conversation, however, I had with my young visiters, gave me some
melancholy reflections in bringing to my remembrance the pleasure I
formerly enjoyed in the company of my dear wife, whose beauty and
conversation were in my opinion far superior to any of these.
During the men’s absence, we had little else to live on than tamarinds
and ashes, a little milk only excepted; but in twelve days they
returned, and were received with all the demonstrations of joy
imaginable by the women. I went myself likewise with a good assurance to
welcome them home. Deaan Trongha, indeed, rallied me a little about it;
but his wife ingenuously confessing, that she hindered me from following
him, I heard no more of it.