to Rer Trimmonongarevo’s army was at the place, but the messenger’s fear
augmented it to nearly double the number of men that in reality was in
it, for there were not five thousand in all. Our people were so
expeditious, that they secured a narrow pass, which the enemy designed
to have taken; and after a small skirmish or two, Rer Mimebolambo
withdrew to a plain and encamped, to whom Rer Mundrosser sent a
messenger to demand the reason why he (more especially) marched an army
into a country to destroy it, since his late king Rer Vovvern, had
relieved and protected him, when he fled from his uncle Rer
Trimmonongarevo, at his father’s decease; for Rer Mimebolambo’s father
was king of Morandavo, and this son of his was to have been his
successor; but there was a dispute between his uncle and him, several
years, till Rer Vovvern, at last, brought about a reconciliation between
them. Rer Mimebolambo replied in a few words, that those matters were
made up, that his uncle was king and he was under his command, and
therefore could not help it. We understood afterwards that deaan
Woozington had appointed to meet him and failed, however he was
unwilling to return home without doing somewhat, and attempted, for that
reason, to make an incursion and carry off a booty of slaves and cattle,
but was prevented. Our army followed them at a distance, to conduct them
safely into their own country, and then returned home.
But that part of the news, which was most agreeable to me, was that
deaan Mernaugha and they had agreed to defer for this season their
intended expedition with deaan Crindo against Merfaughla, for I always
dreaded the thoughts of going into Anterndroea, not only lest a ship
should arrive whilst I should be absent, which would be six or seven
months, but for fear of seeing my old master deaan Mevarrow; but these
fears, however, being dissipated for the present, I lent a helping hand
with a good will enough, in the fortification of the town, with such
stones as were here in great plenty. No one was exempted from work, the
women and children assisted according to their strength, and we made a
wall round the town, at least a yard thick and three yards high, with
loop-holes to look through, or fire out at, as occasion offered. As we
had no mortar the stones were only laid one upon another, and yet we
were about two months before we finished it.
Some of our principal men soon after procured leave to go into the
country to get honey, and hunt such wild cattle as they could find, of
which there were many on this side the river Oneghaloyhe. We looked on
ourselves to be perfectly safe at this time, it being between November
and April, when the river was swelled very large and there were no
canoes except here and there one, but it was impassable for an army.
With my master’s consent I accompanied them; we walked half a day very
briskly before we came to a proper place to bait at, and where we could
find ove (that is wild yams) or susers, which we found here in plenty;
but we had still a hard day’s journey to go to the place proposed for
our country habitation, and when we came there we had our house to
build. After our first arrival, which was in the evening, we took care
to get a good supper; two of us, who well knew the place, went to look
out for honey among the rocks, in the fissures or openings whereof bees
make their combs; the other two (for we were four in all) dug ove and
susers. Our companions succeeded and brought some honey, and we regaled
ourselves in an elegant manner. The next day by noon we finished our
house, which we thatched with palmetto leaves. The day following we
employed ourselves in getting some araffer, which is a pleasant liquor
that I had not tasted before; the tree from whence it flows is something
like a cocoa-nut tree but not quite so large, and rather a kind of
palmetto, called in their language satter. The long leaves or branches
are burnt off, and the trunk is left bare; then we cut off part of the
top of the tree, and with our lances or hatchets make a hole in the
middle, which in a short time fills with a liquid which issues as from a
spring. This may be sucked out with a reed till it is dry, yet it will
fill again the same day, and so continue for six or seven days before
the juice is totally exhausted. It is not like a sirup, but very sweet
and pleasant, and I never knew it give any one the flux, as some may
imagine, nor did any one of us meet with the least inconvenience from
drinking it. We wanted, however, some roast meat; so roving about the
next day, we espied a herd of about twenty of Hattoy’s cattle, and with
a little difficulty made ourselves masters of a bull. Now we lived
luxuriously; we made drinking cups of the bull’s horns; for by thrusting
them into the fire, and giving them a knock or two, the pith came all
out, and we were as well contented as some folks with fine glasses. It
is indeed surprising, though delightful, to see how plentifully
Providence has furnished this country with every thing, not only with
all the necessaries of life, but even with a delicious variety. If ever
any country flowed with milk and honey it is this; and with so much ease
are they to be had, that as the natives have no knowledge of the curse
of Adam and his posterity, so one would be tempted to think, as well for
this reason as from their colour, that they are not of his race, or that
the curse ever reached them, for they can get their living without the
sweat of their brows, or the least hard labour. Notwithstanding all
this, the follies and passions of men will too often lead them into
misery, though they have happiness in their power; in this fine country
their frequent quarrels with one another and open wars reduce them to
the greatest necessity in the midst of the greatest plenty. But they are
confined sometimes by so powerful an enemy, that they are afraid to stir
out of their houses to fetch what the land naturally produces; and this
was the then hard fortune of Feraingher, and the substance of our
conversation after supper; my companions having entertained me with an
account of the great power and strength of their country but a little
before, in the days of Rer Vovvern; and how deplorable its case was at
present, how they were obliged to confine themselves and get close
together, that they might be ready at a call to repulse an enemy, and by
that means abandon the finest and most plentiful part of the country.
We lived now, however, very happily, and in affluence, during our
continuance at our country-house; we made just such an oven as I have
before described, and baked our beef in it; then we went in quest of
some honey to carry home with us. In which, as I was better acquainted
with the nature of bees than they, I had better fortune, and got as much
as I could carry off. When our beef grew so far touched that we could
not eat it, we looked out for more; it was my good fortune in particular
to meet with a young heifer, which I drove into a thicket, and having
killed her, I hallooed to my companions. This we agreed to dress, and
carry as much of it home as conveniently we could; in the first place,
however, we baked the marrow bones, boiled the liver, and spread the
marrow on it, as a dainty morsel; and then we made up our enters, and
marched homewards as well satisfied as we were heavily laden, but not
being in haste, we travelled very softly.
We would not enter the town till midnight, lest we might be observed;
and now once more I wished for my wife to have been at home to receive
me. The next morning I waited on the chief lady with a horn of honey and
a piece of beef, who was highly delighted, but thought I had brought too
much; from her I went to the other where deaan Trongha was, and paid my
compliments to her. The deaan was very glad to see me eat a plentiful
breakfast, and was extremely pleased to hear me tell the various
circumstances of our sport; the others by this time, according to
custom, were come to present their lord with some part of what they had
got, by way of acknowledgment. As I was going home one met me who wanted
to buy some honey, it being rumoured about, that I had brought home a
large cargo; he gave me a fine silk lamber for a calabash of honey that
contained about two gallons. I thought myself very fine in it, and sure
I am, I was the first of the family who was ever dressed so much like a
Madagascar lord. Deaan Trongha told me, I had bought it cheaply enough
in conscience; for if honey had not been scarce it was worth four times
as much; silk is very plentiful in this country, if they would take the
pains to gather it.
Here, through ignorance, I committed an egregious error, for as deaan
Trongha was saying, the man bought the honey dear. I answered a little
too smartly. “If this war continue but three or four years longer, a man
will be glad to sell a child for such a calabash of honey.” The prince
took me up with some warmth, and said, “Then I presume you will leave
us, and go to some inland prince for a belly full of victuals.” I
assured him, however, that I would stay with him till he could send me
home in some ship or another; and that no other motive should ever part
us. Though he said no more, I found he was uneasy, and could not find
out the reason till after we returned from the plantation, at which
time, as we were walking homewards alone, “Robin,” says he, “you are not
aware, perhaps, that our people imagine you can conjure; and as you know
the torratos, that is, writing and reading, you can foretell things to
come. Now by your talking of worse times in our country than the present
before these illiterate people, they will take it for granted that it
will certainly be so, and you will so discourage them, that they will
all run away; for they would pay as superstitious a regard to you as to
an umossee, if you thought it proper to act such a part; since necessity
(for the reason I have told you) seems to require it at this juncture.”
I replied that, though I was conscious of my error, yet I could never
think they would take me for a conjuror, or one who knew things before
they happened; for if I had been possessed of that talent, I would never
have taken this last unfortunate voyage, in which I was cast ashore on
this island. “What you say is true,” says he; “but these people are too
ignorant to be instructed, and it is not in your power or mine to
convince them: and to make the attempt is but to give them an ill
opinion of us; they must be indulged in their superstitious notions, be
humoured, and talked to like peevish sickly children.” “As this is the
case” said I, “I beg pardon, and faithfully promise you to be very
careful of my words, lest they should prove any means of discouragement
to them for the future.”
In three or four days at most, our fine provision was gone; for I
distributed what I had, as is customary, among our neighbours; and then
we had little else but tamarinds and ashes. About three weeks after,
Eglasse and his man Toby came to pay me a visit, and brought some beef
and potatoes with them; for they knew our poverty. We had an odd sort of
conversation between Eglasse’s broken Madagascar, and my broken English;
but Toby, who spoke both languages, helped us out. He stayed with me all
night, and went the next day to deaan Trongha, and begged for me to live
with him five or six weeks, which was readily granted; so I shut up my
house, and in five or six hours arrived at Eglasse’s, where Efflep and
his two sons, James and John, gave me a hearty welcome.
I used to walk about to the adjacent towns with Eglasse, and met with
several of the natives, who could speak English tolerably; but here was
one of them, who, when a boy, used to go of errands, and transact
business for the English pirates, who frequented this place; so that he
spoke English as well as his native tongue. He was very rich, had three
wives, many slaves and cattle; he had also wearing clothes which
belonged to such persons as died there; for when any one was sent sick
ashore, he used to take care of them, and if they died, he had what they
left. His true name was William Purser, though the natives called him
William Poser. He always treated me in a very handsome manner, when I
went to see him; but he never offered me any clothes, nor did I desire
any. For there I should have behaved but awkwardly in an English dress;
and as I had now a fine lamber to wear after their manner, I was very
well contented.
I had been here above a month, before old Efflep died, and his son James
made a grand burial for him, after the manner of the country; which is
the same as in Anterndroea. He killed four or five beeves, to entertain
his friends who attended the funeral. The princes and lords do not kill
the beasts here; but a prince will eat any thing, even swine’s flesh,
though a slave should kill it.
I lived very well between Eglasse and James, till about three or four
days before I was to go home; at which time I was seized with a violent
fever which turned to an ague, and brought me down so low that I was
unable to stir out of the house. They sent a messenger to acquaint deaan
Trongha with my misfortune, and took as much care of me as they possibly
could; and James would now and then boil a fowl to make a little broth
for me. I lay once for dead, and Eglasse being abroad, Toby, who was
left with me, called in the neighbours, and all of them thought that I
had taken my last gasp; insomuch that they went home, and James was
consulting which way to bury me. But when Eglasse returned about two or
three hours after, he perceived me breathe, and James burning something
under my nose, I revived, indeed, but was not sensible for two days, nor
able to sit up for many more. Deaan Trongha being informed that I was
dead, sent a messenger to know the truth, who found me alive, but not
able to speak to him. After this I gradually recovered; the ague hung
upon me three months, and I was two more before I had strength
sufficient to go home; insomuch that I had a strong inclination to see
deaan Trongha: Eglasse, however, was willing to detain me as long as he
could: for now I began to talk English tolerably well, and was good
company for him as long as he lived; which was but a little while after
my recovery.
Five men having a cow to sell to Eglasse, asked me for him; and he being
in the plantation, I went and told him. He came away directly with me to
the men, and begged the favour of me to treat with them about the
purchase. They asked six pieces of eight, but insisted on four: I would
give them, however, no more than three. At last they said, if Eglasse
would give them the old lance which he had in his hand, they would take
the money. This alarmed me, they whispered, I perceived, two or three
times to one another; and having heard that Eglasse threatened the king,
deaan Mernaugha, I began to be terribly frighted, and told him in
English that they wanted the lance; and that I had good reasons to
suspect their behaviour; for the lance was not worth a meal of potatoes.
He, however, in a bravado, gave the man the lance: “Here,” said he, “we
won’t disagree; take the lance.” No sooner had he delivered it, than a
man came behind him, and with both hands pushed the lance in at his back
with that force, that it came out of his breast. I turned about at the
shriek which Eglasse made, and seeing the man pulling the lance out of
his body, I ran amongst the wild canes, which grew by a river side; and
the rustling I made appeared to me like the noise of pursuers. So that
it was some time before I could recover my senses; and when I did, I
still continued to listen with attention. In a short time I heard some
persons call after me, which proved to be James, and his brother John. I
was almost afraid to trust them, but seeing no other company, I came out
in tears to them. They told me that deaan Mernaugha had contrived
Eglasse’s death for threatening him so often; but that as I was an
Englishman, and belonged to deaan Trongha, I need not fear any thing,
for they could have killed you (said they) before you fled, if they had
been ordered so to do. This I thought was true. “Then” said I, “he may
imagine, perhaps, that I shall tell the captains of ships at their
arrival, that he kills white men; and under pretence of danger, may
think it expedient to kill me too.” But they assured me as I was an
Englishman he durst not do it; and that the executioners had told him
so.
I went home with them, where lay the wounded corpse all naked. They
seized likewise on his goods, cattle, and on his two slaves, Robin and
Toby; and stayed in the town all night. The next morning they came to
me, and requested that I would go to the king along with them. “If I
were not afraid” said I “I would, were it on no other account than to
beg the body to bury it.” They answered, the king was so far from doing
me any harm, that he would be glad to see me, and they were well assured
he would grant my request; and, perhaps, give me some share too of
Eglasse’s goods. Upon this, James and I went; and calling on William
Purser, took him along with us. When I entered the town my heart misgave
me, but I considered there was no receding. Deaan Mernaugha was sitting
at his own door, with a great many people round about him. I approached,
and falling prostrate on the ground before him, licked his feet
according to the custom of the country; which the people were surprised
at, having never observed a white man ever to do so before. He permitted
me, indeed, at first; but soon after bid me rise, and not be afraid; for
he would not hurt a hair of my head.
He then ordered Eglasse’s cattle to be brought before him, and commanded
them to take a white cow (not a bullock) and tie her to a tree. After
that the owley was brought out, and an altar was erected, as before
described, by placing the owley across two forked sticks, about six feet
high, upon a beam; when this was done, the cow was killed; then the king
rising from his seat, took a green bough, dipped it in the blood, and
sprinkled the owley. In the next place he took a small quantity of the
fat, and some of the sweet scented gum, and burnt them under it, making
the smoke ascend to the owley. After that he took two cutlasses, and
whetting them one against another (as a butcher does a knife and steel,
but not so quickly) he began his prayer to God, and the Lords of the
four quarters of the world, and to his forefathers by their respective
names, ending with his grandfather who made the oath with the English
captain; an account of which deaan Trongha had before given me. His name
after his death was Munguzungarevo. The form and manner of his prayer
was this, or to this effect.
Bless me, O deaan Unghorray, thou Supreme God. Bless me, O you deaan
Meguddummateem. Bless me, O you deaan Antyfertraer. Bless me, O you
deaan Aneebeleesby. Bless me, O you deaan Antymoor. Bless me, O ye
[here he repeated several other names of his forefathers] but more
especially, O you deaan Munguzungarevo; bless my family, and this
kingdom; for I have had regard to your oath and the man whom I have
now slain is not an Englishman, but of another country; neither would
I have put him to death were it not for my own preservation; since he
often threatened to take away my life, whenever any ships should
happen to arrive.
Whilst he was praying, his slaves were cutting up the beef; when he had
done, he ordered me to take the whole breast; and then he divided the
rest among the people. He was pleased to say, that I had none of that
barbarous disposition which some white people have; for he looked upon
me as a native; since I had long accustomed myself to the manners of
their country. I had no great inclination to take his beef, but
recollecting that Eglasse’s destruction was too much owing to his own
ill conduct, I thought it was safest to appear pleased with his offer.
Robin, the slave, was given to the executioner; but James bought Toby of
the king. I begged leave to bury the body, which favour was readily
granted me: and we returned back to James’s house. The next morning two
messengers came from deaan Trongha to inquire into the truth of this
story; for it had been reported that I was killed; and in case it had
proved so, they were ordered to go directly to deaan Mernaugha, and
demand satisfaction of him, he being fully determined to revenge my
death; but as it was otherwise, and they had no instructions relating to
Eglasse’s case, I went home with them.
At my arrival I was received with as much joy as if I had been a friend
of the last importance to them: I went soon after to the chief lady’s
house, where the other was then present, though she had not been there
in half a year before. Deaan Trongha seemed very well pleased likewise,
and made me give a particular detail of my own severe sickness, and the
tragical end of poor Eglasse; saying, at the same time, that I had so
many fortunate escapes, that he did not think I should die in their
country; but that it would be my lot once more to see old England. Here
he repeated his promise to send me thither. In the interim, however, he
ordered my house to be repaired, the cattle having eaten up most of the
thatch; and provisions to be given me not only for the present, but for
the time to come; for he had lately a good harvest, so that we lived in
more affluence than before.
One day I asked leave to pay a visit to Rer Befaugher; for in times of
danger from enemies, none went out of town without permission. As I was
passing by a river, and walking down to it, I perceived the track of an
alligator, which gave a great check to that inclination, and there being
two or three houses at but a small distance from it, I was going towards
them to beg a little water; but a young woman who was going with her
calabash to dip for some, desired me to stay, and she would supply me
with as much as I would drink; I told her I would accept the favour, but
as she went into the water up to her knees to fill her vessel, an
alligator with a spring caught fast hold of both her thighs, and dragged
her into the stream; but as she kept her head and hands above water, I
threw one lance away, and ran to her assistance with the other; which
she took hold of, and pulled her to me with all my might, but the
alligator still keeping his hold, we called aloud for help. At length I
got hold of her hand, and she directing me where the creature lay, I
struck him with my lance, and wounded him; but not so deeply as to
oblige him to let go, till a second stroke. By this time proper
assistance came, and we brought her off safely with two large wounds
only, made with his long jaws, and sharp teeth. She was now perfectly
naked, for she had lost her lamber in the struggle; but that was not
worth regarding. We saved her life, and every body was highly pleased
with that. Rer Befaugher entertained me in a very courteous manner, and
having gratified his curiosity, in hearing a short narrative of my late
dangerous adventures, I returned home.