is the name they are generally known by, should be made clean for him,
and all the old furniture be removed; and as for us, who were of his
retinue, we might shift as well as we could. There are very few
Saccalauvors care to lie in any of their houses, for fear of an insect
like a cow-tick, called poropongee, which is frequently found upon
cattle, and this insect is found nowhere else; but these people breed
them, on purpose to make their houses shunned by the Saccalauvors; for
the Virzimbers, till very lately, were under no government, and often
changing their habitations; so that upon their first settlement here,
the natives used to come into their houses, and take away whatever they
saw convenient; imposing most shamefully upon them, till the king, under
whose protection they are at present, redressed their grievances upon
hearing their complaints. These poropongees will make those who are
bitten by them sick, sometimes for six weeks, or two months together;
sticking close to the skin, or penetrating into it for a long time; but
when a man has been once tormented by them, and has overcome the
sickness, he never has it again, though he lies among ever so many of
them; or, at least, like persons who have had the small pox, they never
fear a return of their distemper. These Virzimbers are very subject
likewise to what they call colah, which is a kind of the yaws, a disease
which has been described before. It is so frequent, however, here, that
a third part of the people of a town are sometimes spotted like lepers,
with dry scabs. We continued here but one night, and passed over this
large river in canoes the next morning.
About half a day’s march from hence lives Rer Moume, king
Trimmonongarevo’s eldest son, and uncle to Rer Vove, to whom we went to
pay a visit. Messengers, for form sake, were sent before; an agreeable
answer being received, we approached the town, and found him sitting for
the shade sake, in great state under a tamarind tree, as it was
excessively hot. He is a very great prince, and extremely well beloved:
there were twelve wives, and a great many other people then with him.
When Rer Vove, accompanied by his wife Ry Kaley, came to him, they
kneeled and licked his knee. After which she soon withdrew among the
women, but he sat down on a mat near his uncle. All his aunts in
general, except one who was blind, came to him and licked his shoulder,
for they had not seen him since his return from his expedition at
Feraignher. The toake went about plentifully, and some was given to our
principal people, among whom I was constantly with Guy, who had a
particular regard for me. My master, however, being not a little proud
of his white man, called to me in broken English, for he had just enough
to say, “Come hither;” or, “How do you do?” When Rer Moume saw me; “Were
it not for his hair and eyes,” said he, “I should scarcely have known
him to be white, his skin is so scorched with the sun that it is as
swarthy almost as my own: Ry Anzacker there, is as white as he.” And, to
confess the truth, there was no great difference in our complexion. This
was his second wife, and sister to deaan Tokeoffu, king of Munnongaro,
alias Masseleege. Rer Moume was of a copper colour, rather than a black.
Though he had no visible distemper upon him, yet he had lost the use of
his limbs, and though he had no swelling in his legs or sores about him,
and looked well to all outward appearance, yet he could not stand
upright. This misfortune was supposed to be brought upon him by poison,
which was given him by one of his wives with a treacherous intent to
kill him, she having been a captive, and the consort of a neighbouring
prince who opposed him, and was killed in battle. He sat on a square
seat, or throne, made on purpose for him, but so low that he could rest
his legs on the ground if he thought fit.
Perceiving I could speak their language, he was extremely delighted with
me, for he was a good-natured, courteous man, which I have just reason
to acknowledge: for by his compassion I was redeemed from the hardships
of slavery during my continuance here; and, at last, dismissed in a
friendly and genteel manner, and by his means sent home to England. The
whole discourse now turned on me and my surprising adventures; the
women, too, bore a part in the conversation, and expressed their pity,
saying, they should be glad to have me among them, and should think they
could never do enough for me, if I would oblige them with the agreeable
stories of my travels. But this happy time was not yet come, I was to
undergo a few more fatigues first, though my state of slavery did not
continue long.
My master, Rer Vove, was a gay young man, who pursued his pleasures and
was guilty of some vices, like many of our young noblemen in Europe, was
always in action, full of fire, and as his constitution was very warm
and sanguine, he would be guilty of too many of the follies which youth
are prone to. As to his stature he was very tall, for in an army or
crowd he might be distinguished at a distance, being a head taller at
least than most of the people; however, he was exactly proportioned and
well-shaped, his legs and arms were finely tapered. I was obliged
sometimes to assist him in his love adventures, of which a pretty
remarkable, as well as dangerous one, was on this journey; as follows:—
No sooner had he parted from his uncle, than he determined to visit his
cousin, Rer Chemunghoher; but coming near his town, and being informed
that he was gone from home as far as Moherbo, a thought came into his
head to send his wife one way, whilst he took another under a pretence
of business, and to meet about four days after, advising her at the same
time to go through some towns of the Virzimbers, who always make one
present or another to those of the family, according as their abilities
will permit. His attendants, or the greatest part of them, were ordered
to accompany his wife; and as for me, whom she expected to have been
left her guardian, he bid follow him. When we were at a sufficient
distance from the people, he told me he had a secret to communicate to
me of no small importance, and desired, likewise, my assistance in a
particular affair, which he proposed to put in execution. “You know my
fidelity,” said I, “and are sensible that I would scruple nothing but
the commission of murder to serve you.” “It is nothing of that nature, I
assure you,” said he, “but the consequence may prove fatal if you do not
act with discretion: Rer Chemunghoher, in short, has married one who was
my consort before Ry Kaley; and, on a quarrel, I put her away a little
too rashly, and my kinsman also married her in too much hurry, or we
should probably have agreed again. The woman I still have an affection
for, and as her husband happens to be abroad, I have some thoughts of
your procuring me an interview with her. There is a Maurominter, that is
to say, a black man of any other country, who can speak English; you
shall pay him a visit, by which means you may come to the speech of
her.” I was fond of this opportunity to see this English Maurominter;
and for that reason I readily agreed to his proposal; and having my full
instruction, and a man for my guide, I left my master at a small
village, about two hours’ walk from Rer Chemunghoher’s town, and
proceeded immediately on my errand.
Lewis (for that was his name) received and entertained me in a handsome
manner. He was born, he said, in Jamaica, followed the sea, and being
taken by pirates was set on shore at St. Augustine-bay, where he lived
some time, but the troubles of that country coming on, he, as well as
many of the natives, came away, not only for their security, but for
more plentiful living: so that between the affairs of Feraignher and
England, we had subject matter of discourse enough for a long time. His
wife going out, I took the opportunity of asking him, if he could
possibly introduce me to their lord’s wife? He, knowing the story,
guessed at my intention, though I told him no more than what was
requisite for my purpose. He went accordingly to her, and she sent word
she would come, which she did soon, with one maid only to attend her. I
was a good excuse enough for her to say her curiosity led her to see a
white man. Lewis and his wife withdrawing, and she saying I might freely
speak before her maid, whom she could trust with her life, I soon
delivered my message, and told her how disconsolate Rer Vove was ever
since he came near the town: I found her, in short, as eager for the
interview as himself, and she appointed that very night in a wood at a
convenient distance. As soon as she returned home she sent her maid with
some toake to me; which, when Lewis and I had drank up, I went with the
good news to my master. And as it proved a fine moonlight night, we soon
came to the place assigned; though by going over a river, and through a
plantation where there were dogs, and they barking, the owner had like
to have discovered us; for the wild hogs often making great havoc in the
night, they are very attentive if their dogs do but stir.
I left them in the wood, and went to Lewis, for whom she waited. He
conducted her through a breach made in the palisade, for the gate was
always guarded, and I conducted her to her gallant. Her maid accompanied
her with a capon, some rice, and a calabash of toake. They embraced each
other with all the passion imaginable; the maid, indeed, was for serving
up the supper, but they had affairs of greater moment to talk of first,
which we plainly perceiving withdrew, and diverted ourselves for some
time as well as we could. In about two hours we heard him whistle, which
was the signal for our coming, when we supped all together. Our bellies
being full, Lewis and I roved about at a distance, and left them again
till it was daybreak. “Now, Robin,” says he, “we must do as the wild
boars do, get a great distance from the place where they have been doing
their mischief.” So crossing the river again, we walked about till noon;
when a man was to come and bring us some provisions. As I was looking
out sharply, and listening for the token, which was a whistle, I
approached him, but the fellow being silly, and knowing nothing of a
white man, threw down the meat, and a whole calabash of toake, and took
to his heels. As soon as he got home he told his mistress, that he saw a
white spirit, and it ran after him for the meat, which he was forced to
leave behind him. This gave us some diversion the next night, when she
came again: a capon, rice, and toake were brought this evening likewise;
and I could not forbear rallying my master on having patience enough now
to sup, and regale himself with toake as soon as it came. When we had
drank plentifully they bid us go and watch at a distance, and find out
some amusement or other to pass away the night. And, indeed, had we not
made ourselves merry, and been as agreeable to one another as such an
occasion required, the night would have seemed very long and tedious. We
slept a little towards daybreak, and when I went to them they were not
up; however, they soon arose, and took their leave too, by rubbing their
noses together, and drawing their breath like persons who take snuff.
After this they parted well satisfied for the present.
It was now broad daylight, so that when we attempted to go over the
plantation the same way as we came, the people were up; and as we were
both remarkable persons, he by his height, and I by my colour, the very
seeing us at a distance would have been enough to betray the whole
secret. We had no way, therefore, to take but through a thicket of
thorny wood. I went first upon my knees, and beat them down with a
stick, and my master followed. Though our shoulders bled in many places,
which we did not regard at first through eagerness, and when we did it
was to little purpose, for it would have been as bad to have retreated.
So, in short, we went through; but on our arrival on the other side of
the river, we stood still to look on one another, and perceiving how
miserably our hides were scratched and torn, we could not refrain from
laughter, though we were severely mortified. We still endeavoured to
find out private ways, being as much ashamed now as we were afraid
before of being seen. As soon as Guy saw us, he could not forbear
smiling. Rer Vove told him, we had been hunting a wild boar, and by
pursuing him too eagerly into the thickets, we got scratched in this
piteous manner. “It is much more probable,” said Guy, “a wild woman, and
the right owner pursuing you too closely, you were glad to escape to the
first wood you came at.” Ry Kaley grew a little jealous too upon the
occasion, but we laughed it off.
We being all met again, we proceeded to the northward, where the cattle
are all kept. This is as fine a country as ever I saw, and the best
stocked with all the necessaries of life. These people never go forth to
war, but constantly employ the whole of their time in taking care of the
king’s and their lord’s cattle: they have plenty likewise of their own.
The king’s cattle are marked with the stamp called chemerango. Here are
such numbers of them, that it is not known within two or three thousand
how many belong to him. Some of these oxen are scarcely able to walk for
age, and others are so fat they cannot stir. They never milk above the
fourth part of the cows, though the place is populous, and as large as
some king’s dominions. They have a great many towns, and many Virzimbers
dwell among them. The chief town is of large extent, where the principal
herdsman keeps a great court, and has full power and authority to decide
all controversies, and punish any offender without appeal. When we saw
him, he made as grand a figure as a king, and was sitting with his
attendants about him in the same manner. However, he arose to kiss Rer
Vove’s knee, (not his feet,) as a testimony of his more than common
respect for him. He had eight thousand head of cattle of his own, and
near three hundred slaves. He made my master a present of five of his
own, and fifteen of the chemango’s. He seldom, if ever, goes out on
foot, but is carried on a bier on men’s shoulders. He is very old,
indeed, having been cow-keeper to Rer Trimmonongarevo’s father, deaan
Lohefute.
Butter and cheese might be made here in plenty, were there but people
who understood the art of it, for the cows give abundance of milk,
though not altogether so much as ours do in England, but then they
continue it longer; summer time in this hot country being the worst for
the cattle. In this place, however, there are so many rivers, brooks,
and springs, that they are never incommoded with such droughts as they
sometimes are in Anterndroea. Here are tallow and hides too in
abundance, but few think it worth their while to regard them. Several
other commodities are to be found here which are worthy of notice: wax
is so plentiful that it is thrown away; there is iron too in many parts
of the country, as well as here, and the natives are no strangers to the
making of steel. Here is copper, likewise, of their own production, of
which they make mannelers. In some of the most mountainous and inland
parts of the country they have silver, and know how to make ear-plates
of it, and mannelers: so that I have the highest reason to think the
country produces it, as well as it does a white metal, much like our
British tin, or tutanag; nor is there any reason to doubt that gold is
to be found here. Here are many other things, but as I cannot give a
satisfactory account of them, I pass them over in silence. But,
I must not here omit to mention the several sorts of silk, of which
there is plenty in every part of the island where I have been. Some is
of a brownish colour, others of a white; the outside is full of small
pointed prickles; the cod or bag is nearly three inches long, and shaped
like a nine pin; at the top, when we take it, there is a hole, out of
which I have extracted a blackish worm; but I am not able to describe
it, or the manner of its transformation, as the common silkworm: this I
know, that there are no mulberry trees. The silk of these worms is found
upon three or four several sorts of trees; for when they spin they
cleave to the thick branches or body of the tree. I have seen the people
on their knees, pull the cod out to a great length, which they tease to
pieces, and then spin it with a spindle, made of bone, and a rock-staff;
after that they weave it as they do cotton, and it makes not only
pretty, but very fine lambers. There is some trouble in the management
of it, which is all the reason I can offer for their making so little
use of it. In this part of Saccalauvor, where the cattle are kept, is a
tree called rofeer; which is of singular service to the middle sort of
people to make lambers of. The leaf is like that of a cocoa-nut tree,
but longer by two feet; they take off the outer part, and put the other
to dry for two or three days together, which is then thin and white like
a long shaving. After that they moisten it again, and split it into
threads, which they knot in a very neat manner, and weave into cloth:
some of it is frequently dyed, and made into lambers striped. This tree
bears a fruit that much resembles a damson.
After Rer Vove had taken a review of his cattle, and left behind him
about two hundred of them, which he got by this journey, we returned
home to plant rice; for men of the highest distinction here look after
their plantations themselves, and take care to furnish their families
with proper provisions. He had not been long at home, before some
business called him to Moherbo, and through Guy’s artifice and
intercession I got leave to accompany him, for I had a strong
inclination to see the Englishman. He soon perceived I was his
countryman, and we were more overjoyed to see each other, than relations
are who live ever so distant. His name was William Thornbury, he had
been nine years in the country. It was his first voyage; for he was then
a boy, who like me, was resolutely bent on going to sea; but a hard gale
of wind arising suddenly, drove their ship from her anchors, and whether
some pirate was in sight, or what was the real cause he could not tell,
but they never returned, leaving him with the surgeon and another man
ashore; the two last in a few months died with grief, and he was left
alone. The king took what small quantity of goods their captain had left
on shore, and sent immediately for Thornbury. He went, and his majesty
very kindly told him he had no occasion to fear any thing; for he would
take care he should not only be supplied with whatever he wanted, but
that he would, moreover, send him home by the first vessel. In all which
he was as good as his word, nor ever attempted to make a slave of him,
as Mevarrow did of me; so that when we compared our hard destinies, mine
was much the severer of the two. He went to the king’s eldest wife for
some toake, in order to treat me with it, which she readily granted.
I have already given the reader an idea of this king’s person: as to his
hasty temper and cruel actions I had heard much talk of them before now;
William Thornbury, however, let me more fully into his character. I
found, upon taking in the whole detail of him, that glory and ambition
were his principal aim; which he looked upon to consist in the wealth
and prosperity of his country. For Saccalauvor was neither richer nor
more powerful than other countries till his accession to the regal
state. But he having expelled both his brothers upon his assumption of
the supreme dignity, one of them, as I have mentioned before, fled to
Feraignher, and got possession of part of the country to the southward;
the other, accompanied by about eight hundred men, passed through the
fine country where the cattle are kept, and where the Virzimbers at that
time resided, moving still farther to the northward, and settled on that
river which the Europeans at this time call Masseleege. The Virzimbers
fled from him on his first approach, but finding that his intentions
were peaceable, and that he was only seeking a place of refuge for
himself, they returned to their habitations, and lived under his
jurisdiction. Here he established a kingdom almost as extensive and
powerful as his brother’s; which his son, deaan Tokeoffu is now in the
possession of. Rer Trimmenongarevo understanding his brother had thus
happily settled himself, sent ambassadors to propose an amicable
alliance between them; which he, being a good-natured man, readily came
into; hoping God, and his deceased father deaan Lohefute, would forgive
his brother, and for the future bless them both.
Rer Trimmonongarevo now caressed some of the Virzimbers, and gave them
towns on the banks of Mernee. He was very generous likewise to his own
subjects, and made considerable presents, not only of cattle, but slaves
to those who had suffered losses in his service; but more especially he
took all the engaging and political ways he could devise to tempt people
from other countries to come and live in Saccalauvor. I have already
mentioned his courteous treatment of the Feraignher people whose
families had been taken in war; restoring all the captives and cattle to
such masters and relations as would come and settle in his dominions. By
this means they are grown not only vastly populous, but rich, and the
people live in plenty as well as peace; they reverence and adore him, in
short, as a tender and indulgent father of his country. But see now the
danger of submitting implicitly to the arbitrary will and pleasure of
any man; even though he has many useful and great virtues to recommend
him. People by such means become slaves to the man who is not in every
respect a hero, but attended with human frailties, and subject to
passions less governable than in men of lower station. Superior
greatness is his view, which explained, is advancing his prerogative
beyond that of his predecessors, and showing that he can determine
according to his own will more absolutely than any of his
contemporaries. Absolute power is what all ambitious princes aim at, and
thirst to enjoy it. This the world may see is the darling passion of the
vicious great; and this was the misfortune that attended Saccalauvor; at
least that part of it which was under the immediate jurisdiction of Rer
Trimmonongarevo: for the other lords, his sons and nephews, were as
humane as those in any other part of the island; but the authority he
had usurped had made him so haughty and imperious, that to show he could
act as he pleased, and was not to be governed by the traditional laws,
when an ambassador or any strangers were at his town, he would order
some one or other of any two contending parties to immediate execution
for very trivial faults, and sometimes for none at all. This barbarous
disposition, however, did not appear till he was sufficiently
established in his government; and then several instances of his cruelty
were too conspicuous. By these vile actions he lost the love of many of
his subjects, who withdrew to live under more humane sovereigns. Some
quite abandoned the country, and went to his brother’s son Toakoffu;
though they might have been tolerably safe with his sons and nephews.
And this is the only remedy which these people have against arbitrary
power; for they have no notion of a _jus divinum_, as we call it, nor
think themselves obliged by the laws of religion to suffer any
impositions. The lords likewise have contracted a very laudable and
humane custom of being extremely fond of relieving such as are
distressed, even though there has been enmity before. This was deaan
Crindo’s son’s case when he fled to Antenosa, and this very king’s
brother, Rer Mimebolambo’s, when he fled to Feraignher; and to this
generous virtue my own deliverance was principally owing.