and upon his coughing and fetching his breath a little uneasily, the
people fell immediately prostrate on the ground. The reason, as I
understood afterwards was, because not long before, in such a fit of
short breathing, he took up a blunderbuss and discharged it among them
without speaking a word, or making any other excuse, when he had thus
killed two or three of his attendants, than “why did they stifle him?” I
never saw such abject slavery on the island before; and yet to do him
justice I must say he was far from being in all his actions and
resolutions a bloody tyrant; for, two or three instances of severe
executions only excepted, which he ordered out of ostentation, his other
barbarities were only now and then the effects of his inordinate
passion; which, indeed, grew worse as he advanced in years. It must be
acknowledged that he directed corporal punishments oftener than were
practised in any other country. Here was during my residence amongst
them, a woman who complained to him against another for robbing one of
his wives, who was her mistress; but upon examination the accuser was
found a very sorry creature, and one whose ears had been cut off for a
former misdemeanour. Some ambassadors being then present, the wicked
wretch made choice of that time to accomplish the end of her malice the
more effectually; for as the people expected a bloody decision, so it
happened; yet one can hardly pronounce it was unjust though very severe;
for after hearing, with a great deal of patience, all that she alleged,
and inquiring into every minute circumstance of the case, he ordered the
base accuser to be carried off and killed directly. The person so
unjustly accused desired to have the liberty of being the executioner
herself, with which he complied, and gave her a sword for that purpose.
She soon overtook the proper officer, who, seeing the king’s sword, held
the criminal while the other cut her throat. These are instances
sufficient to show the virtues and vices, as well as the singular
disposition of this extraordinary king.
During my stay here I saw William Purser, the interpreter, and several
others of Feraignher; and among the rest my old friend Ry-Nanno, (Rer
Vovvern’s ambassador to deaan Crindo, who was the first that directed me
to Feraignher,) came to pay me a visit. He lived as great as in his own
country, having voluntarily followed some of his family who were taken
prisoners.
Rer Vove was now on his return home, and my countryman and I were to
part, which we did with no small reluctance; yet not before we had given
each other full instructions where to find our respective friends,
whoever should be so happy as to reach England first, which proved to be
his good fortune.
Some few days after we were got home the two Amboer-lambo ambassadors,
who were at Moherbo, being on their return into their own country, and
passing through our town, Rer Vove prevailed on them to stay a night
with him, and allotted them a commodious apartment, to which they
invited me, and seated me on their own mat between them. Their
curiosity, they said, led them to inquire after the manners and customs
of my country in general, and of my own adventures in particular. I
gratified them in the best manner I could, or rather so as they were
best capable of understanding me. For as to the largeness and grandeur
of our court, city, fleets, armies, &c., on all which I expatiated, they
would give no credit to it, and looked upon it only as a mere romance.
In my turn I asked them where their country lay. They told me it was a
mountainous inland place, divided into two kingdoms, called
Amboer-lambo, which were governed by two brothers. They had vast large
ears, with silver plates in them that glittered like comets. I was very
desirous to know how they came so. They informed me that when they are
young a small hole only is made at first and a piece of lead put into
it; when the wound is healed they have a small spring-ring put into it,
which extends it by degrees, and after this another, till the hole is as
large as they think convenient; then they place these silver plates in
it, which are neatly made, and exactly fitted to the hole, with great
precaution for fear of breaking it. Some of these holes in their ears
are so large, that a woman may put her hand through it. They have
several artificers among themselves who make these ornaments. The poorer
sort, they said, who could not afford silver, had them of tutanag; which
they call ferochfutey. They came into this country to trade chiefly in
iron, of which they make abundance; however, they bring great quantities
of silk likewise. Their vallies are very foggy and marshy, unwholesome
for cattle, and not fit to be inhabited, so that they buy cattle. The
mountains are so stony, that they have scarcely earth sufficient for the
foundations of their houses. They told me moreover, that Rer
Trimmonongarevo will not sell them any guns, nor suffer his people to
supply them with fire-arms. Before the Europeans had stocked the island
with guns, they were too strong for the Saccalauvors in deaan Lohefute’s
time; but this king is at present too powerful. They have (they said) a
trade sometimes to Mattatanna and Antenosa; but not sufficient to
furnish them with arms and ammunition. I observed, that metals of all
kinds were commodities they dealt in.
Hitherto I lived pretty well; and indeed for about three months
afterwards; at which time a ship came to Yong-Owl to trade. Her name (as
I have since been informed) was the Clapham-galley, captain Wilks
commander. Those who had slaves to sell carried them down to the
seaside. My master was likewise preparing some for that purpose; the
thought of it almost transported me, yet I could not tell how to make my
request known. At length I made my application to my friend Guy, and
having expostulated the case with him and his wife, I prevailed on him
to solicit my master that I might be sent down and sold to the captain;
he made the motion accordingly one evening in my absence. And it was
happy for me that I was abroad, for had it not been for the mediation of
some friends he would have found me out and shot me directly. As soon as
I came to him he ordered me to deliver him my gun, saying, I was a
prisoner of war, and a slave too; and he would make me know as much. As
for Will. he was an unfortunate youth indeed, and was left by mere
accident upon the shore; there is a wide difference between his case and
yours. Upon which he called his cook; “Here, Mechorow,” said he, “take
care of this white captive; and see that he, like other slaves, obeys
your orders.” Mechorow did not fail to observe his instructions, and was
the severer upon me, because there was a time when I had authority over
him. He frequently made me carry an iron pot on my head, when Rer Vove
and his wife took their pleasure on the islands in the middle of the
river Mernee; where one while he would go to kill wild fowl, and at
another to destroy alligators. But before the ship set sail I
endeavoured to inform the captain by this stratagem. I took a
satter-leaf, which was about two inches broad, and a foot and a half
long, and marked upon it these words following. Robert Drury, son of Mr
Drury, living at the King’s-Head in the Old Jewry; now a slave on the
island of Madagascar in the country of Morandavo, or Yong-owl. I desired
the favour of one who was going to the seaside to deliver this leaf to
the first white man he saw; but when he returned I asked him what answer
he had? “None at all,” said he, “for I suppose the white man did not
like it, since he threw the leaf away; though I am sure it was as good,
if not better, than that which you gave me. ’Tis true, I dropped yours,
but then I pulled one of the best I could find from off a tree.” My
heart was ready to break at this disappointment; whereupon I turned from
him, and went directly into the woods to vent my grief in tears. I heard
soon after, that Will. Thornbury was discharged; I was then in some
hopes that by his means my redemption might be accomplished. But to my
no small mortification I soon heard the ship had sailed, and not one
word of me mentioned. This drove me almost to madness, and what could be
the reason why the captain should take no notice of me, I cannot
conceive; for Will. Thornbury, doubtless, would have mentioned me to
him.
Not long after this I was taken with a violent pain in my bones; which
at first I took for a cold. But it increased to that degree that I could
not walk without crutches. This disease continued three months
successively, and then I began to have large boils or blotches break out
all over my body; my neighbours soon perceived it was the colah or yaws;
and Rer Vove sent me to a Virzimber’s house on the banks of Mernee, in
order for a cure. They took the bark of a tree, of which I do not
recollect the name, steeping it in water. With this they washed and
bathed me every day, which in a few weeks made my bones much easier; and
in a few weeks more the blotches died, and wore away; after which I
recovered my strength apace. I lived with these Virzimbers in all about
six months.
These people are almost of a different species from the others. Their
heads are of a peculiar shape, the hinder part and the forehead are
almost as flat as a trencher: but this I imagine to be unnatural, for it
is framed thus by a daily pressure of their children from the cradle.
Their hair is neither so long nor so woolly as that of the other
nations. Their religion, likewise, is widely distant from other
people’s. They have no owleys in their houses, but pay an awful regard
to the new moon, and to several animals; namely, a cock, a lizard, and
the like. Whether they think these creatures have spirits or not, or
demons that attend them, I cannot determine; for whenever they
discoursed among themselves, it was in a peculiar language, to which I
was so much a stranger, that I was not able to give a sufficient reason
for these particulars. When they seat themselves to their meals, they
take a bit of meat, and throw it over their heads, saying, “There’s a
bit for the spirit.” In the next place, they cut four little bits more
and throw to the sovereigns or rulers of the four quarters of the earth.
This is the constant practice of such as have any regard to religious
ceremonies, but there are too many who neglect it, as some in Europe,
and look on saying grace at their meals, as an idle fashion. They dress
their victuals much more agreeably than the other people; for they
always boil plantains or potatoes with their meat, and make good soup,
and well thickened as they do in Europe.
They make curious earthenware, such as pots, dishes, and jugs, glazing
them both within and without; and are very ingenious artificers in many
other particulars. Though their ingenuity was superior, yet I could not
perceive they ever formed themselves into regular kingdoms, or into
large commonwealths, but herded together in towns; each town being a
distinct and independent republic, which too often produced quarrels and
bloodshed, one little town standing in opposition to another. There
being no general law or government which could settle their just claims,
or determine any unhappy dissensions between one town and another; till
they in this part made Rer Trimmonongarevo their patron and protector,
whilst others put their whole confidence in deaan Tokeoffu. There are
more of them as I have heard, in other parts of the island, scattered up
and down, who shift their habitations; which these were wont to do
formerly. ’Tis no easy matter to determine whether these are not the
original natives, or first inhabitants of the land. I observed here,
that difference in religion was looked upon as no crime, nor any offence
to one another. Moreover, that they, like the others, have no priests.
Having now in great measure recovered my strength, I began to reflect on
the misery of returning to my former slavery; and for that reason, after
some conflict with myself, I determined to run the risk of throwing
myself at Rer Moume’s feet, to beg his protection, be the consequence
what it would; death being preferable to perpetual slavery. Having
imbibed this notion, I desired my landlord one morning to put me over
the water in his canoe; for I would willingly pay a visit to a friend on
that side, it not being above two hours’ walk to Rer Moume’s town.
At my arrival I found him sitting under a kind of pent-house, with his
wives round about him. I laid down, and licked his feet, then rising
upon my knees, I lifted up my hands, and sued to him for mercy and
protection from the ill treatment of my master Rer Vove; he having made
the most abject slave of me, for only desiring a friend to beg of him to
sell me (not to make a present of me) to my own countrymen; that I might
see my dear parents once more, from whom I had been absent so many
years. My master insisted that I was his slave, his prisoner of war,
though I was there no otherwise than Will. was here, a poor unhappy
creature wandering about till I could find an opportunity to get to my
native country, and was no enemy of his, neither was I taken in arms.
Should you deliver me up to him, he would doubtless kill me, and there
will be an end of all my sorrows; but I live in hopes of finding mercy
from you. I soon perceived that my mournful tale affected him; for the
tears stood in his eyes, and some of the women actually wept. He bid me
rise, and be assured that he would not deliver me up to Rer Vove.
“Should my kinsman (says he) want slaves to do his work (though I know
the contrary) I will send him two or three in your stead. Be not afraid,
I will both protect and provide for you.” Then turning to one of his
consorts, “Here Ry Anzacker,” says he, “do you from henceforth be
Robin’s mother; and take care he wants for nothing. All I shall desire
of you (said he to me) will be to look after my chest of arms, which are
a hundred or more in number; and see that my flints and shot are all
kept in order, and you shall have servants too to do the work.” Then
calling a slave, he gave him directions to build me a house next to my
mother’s within the palisade. In two days I was a housekeeper. Ry
Anzacker proved very kind to me, and I never walked out without my gun
in my hand like a freeman.
In a few days after several messengers came from Rer Vove to Rer Moume.
I was by when, in their lord’s name, they demanded his white slave. Rer
Moume examined them first, to know if what I had told was matter of
fact; and when he found it was, “I am sorry (said he) my kinsman is so
rash and thoughtless a young man to act after this manner. Did any one
ever see before a white man a slave to a black man’s cook-slave; unless
it was among the worst of brutes in that unpolished country Anterndroea?
It was a very unjust thing to force him from Feraignher; and when he was
here, it would have been the part of a wise and honest man to have
presented Robin to the English captain, and made a merit of taking care
of him. In so doing he had done a generous action, and it would have
reflected an honour on himself, and on us all. He should recollect the
many benefits we have received from the English, and that we were
insulted by all our neighbours, till they furnished us with arms. Here,
take this woman-slave, and give her to him; she is able to do more
service than Robin, in case he wants work from him. As for my part, I
shall make no slave of him, I’ll assure you; he may go when he will, and
live where he will; even with Rer Vove, if he thinks proper; and does
not care to live with me. However, I shall not consent to that, unless I
am well satisfied of his being more courteously treated. Here, take the
woman in his stead.” They came again the next day with the woman, and
renewed their yesterday’s demand; to which he gave an answer in direct
terms, that they should not have me.
I was treated here in a most courteous manner by all the king’s wives;
but particularly by my mother, Ry Anzacker; they taking great delight in
the many stories I told them of my misfortunes and adventures. I used
frequently to go with Rer Moume to a spacious lake which had islands in
it, several miles round, called the Kereendea. This place was formerly
drowned by the Mernee’s breaking its banks. Rer Moume was always carried
in a vehicle, not much unlike a sedan; and had a canoe large enough to
hold twenty men, in which was a seat made on purpose for him, he not
being able to sit, as other people did, upon the floor. Several other
canoes of ten and five hands, and some small ones of two, used to
accompany him. Our principal employments were fishing and fowling; in
which the Virzimbers are very dexterous, making nets of various kinds,
and also fishhooks for angling, which was Rer Moume’s favourite
diversion. His son, Rer Chulu, would often divert himself with killing
alligators; and the weapon he generally used was a harpoon, with a head
fixed on it, and a rope fastened to the steel and staff both. Being thus
furnished with tackle, they paddle along the water towards the
alligator, whom they generally espy at a distance; for they keep their
noses above water, and appear like a floating cake of cowdung. When they
come within ten or a dozen yards of him, he sinks to the bottom, and
crawls a good way before he stops; but his path is discovered by a
bubble that rises up, and where it stands they strike; for they will lie
flat on their bellies with their sides pressed out, where they hear a
noise; so that they are often stabbed with the harpoon. Though should it
light on their backs, or heads, it will make no more impression than it
would on a rock. The Virzimbers make a net of ropes, with large meshes,
and with these they sometimes take them; they also take them with snares
made of spring-sticks, which draw up a noose in a rope; these they place
at the mouth of a rivulet, or small canal. And by these methods I have
known Rer Chulu and his company kill twenty or thirty alligators in a
day.
Rer Moume made me a present of three cows, which calved in four months.
He asked me why I did not marry? I told him I could not well maintain a
wife, and that at present I lived very well, and much better than I
could with a woman to provide for. He said, it was not looked upon as
decent for a man to live single; and as for her maintenance, I’ll not
only put it in your power to do that, but recommend one to you likewise.
So as I perceived he was serious, I was soon persuaded; but with this
proviso, that he should not compel the woman, but ask her consent, and
leave it to her own choice; to which he readily agreed. So sending for
one who was an attendant on my mother, he opened the case to her and
told her she should be my wife if she thought fit; and bid her speak her
mind freely; for he did not intend she should submit to it through any
compulsion. But with an air of cheerfulness she said she approved of the
motion. Upon this Ry Anzacker took her back again, to dress her up very
fine with beads, and a new silk lamber, &c., and presented her to me. I
desired that the prince would make a formal marriage of it, by taking
hold of her hand first; and then asking us both, if we gave our mutual
consent? And then by giving her hand into mine: all which he readily
gratified me in, with abundance of affability and good nature, and was
very merry; as the women were, likewise, according to custom on such
occasions. The ladies attended us home, but not empty handed; for they
gave us a large quantity of such kind of furniture as we principally
wanted. The prince too gave me the day following a plantation with rice
and potatoes, &c. growing upon it, and fit to dig. He gave me, moreover,
a slave, a boy about sixteen years of age; and in a short time, he sent
me with others to fetch away some cattle from a man, who, upon
examination before him, had been found guilty of stealing several from
his neighbours; for which facts he was fined twenty beeves. This was the
first time I was ever sent on such an errand, though not the last; and
people of the best rank are fond of this employment; for they never fail
of a good present for their trouble. He gave me, likewise, a cow with
her calf, and a young bull of three years old. Whenever I went on any
such occasions afterwards, I never had less than one beast for my
labour, and sometimes two; so that I grew rich and sent most of my
cattle four miles off, agreeing with a man to give him the tithe calf of
such as he should rear for me, keeping three cows only at home for milk.
So that now I lived as happily as the country could afford me; nay, so
much to my satisfaction, that had I not a desire to see my parents once
again, I question whether I should ever have taken any pains to get to
England; and even when I wished for it, I was perfectly easy; since I
was assured that Will. Thornbury would inform my friends where I was,
and how the world went with me.
Some months after this, Rer Vove sent word that he purposed to pay his
uncle a visit; upon which I went directly to Rer Moume, and told him, I
was going for three or four days to pay my respects to his son Rer
Chemunghoher. “I know (said Rer Moume) what you mean, but you have no
occasion to fear Rer Vove; for he shall never have you against your
will.” And at the same time he persuaded me to stay and see him, which I
did. After some previous discourse about business, and they had drunk a
cup or two of toake together, he cast his eyes on me, and told his uncle
he was surprised that he should use him in so uncivil a manner, as to
detain his slave. Rer Moume replied, he was not conscious of keeping any
slave of his from him, and if he would nominate the person, he should be
instantly restored. “Why there he stands,” says Rer Vove. “I hope (says
the uncle) you don’t mean Robin, the white man. Is he a slave of yours?
I am ashamed of your imprudence to say so. Is it not to the white men,
but more especially to his countrymen, the English, that we are indebted
for the riches we enjoy? We, who formerly were insulted by the
Amboer-lambo people, and other nations around us, are by these
Englishmen’s guns made too powerful for them; and by the beads,
looking-glasses, &c., which they bring in plenty, our late enemies are
fond of our friendship and traffic. And don’t you think it a fine story
for Will. to tell, that one of his countrymen, who happened to be
shipwrecked in this country, was made a slave of by a black lord of
Morandavo? But to satisfy you that I don’t treat him like a slave, he is
at his liberty to go this moment where he pleases; and take his wife,
his slave, and his cattle with him; nay, back with you, if you can
prevail on him so to do; and give me your word and honour that you will
make him a freeman.” After this manner he argued with his nephew, and
reproached him with indiscretion as well as inhumanity, by treating a
man in distress with too much severity, till he convinced him of his
mistake; insomuch that he desired I would come and see him in the
evening, which I did. At my entrance into the house I licked his knee as
a testimony of my respect; but not his feet, to let him see that I knew
I was a freeman. He used many arguments to induce me to live with him,
and made me very large promises; which, probably, he might have
performed: for he was no vile person, but only too rash and
inconsiderate. He also set Guy to influence me, if possible, who made
use of one engaging argument; namely, that Rer Vove intended to travel
into the dominions of other princes, out of curiosity to see their
various manners and customs. I told Guy the true reason why I would not
consent to it; which was that I was much nearer the sea now than when
with them; and that I did not question but Rer Moume would send me home
by the first ship that came. After this I sat and drank toake with them,
then took my leave, and was returning homeward, but Rer Vove followed me
and desired I would never mention his amour with his kinsman’s wife;
which I assured him I never would whilst I lived in the country; and so
we parted good friends. It will not be improper, I presume, to make one
cursory remark here, which is, that this gay young gentleman was highly
to be commended for so readily conceding to his uncle’s arguments,
attending to what he said with reverence, and being convinced by reason.
Thus I lived with Rer Moume as easy and happy as he could possibly make
me; and the only misfortune that now attended me, was my residence in a
foreign country, But my hard destiny had still one melancholy scene or
danger more to affright me with before I left this island; and it was as
horrible and shocking to human nature, as any I had hitherto undergone;
and the more so, because altogether unexpected, not only by myself, but
by every one else; which was thus introduced. There lived at Moherbo,
one Francisco, an inoffensive man, born in the East Indies, of
Portuguese parents; but as black as most of them. He had lived here many
years to his satisfaction, never proposing to remove from off the
island; he had been taken by pirates, who, at his request, set him
ashore. This man, though a surgeon (as he said) by profession, had a
mechanical head, especially to carpenters’ and joiners’ business, and
had furnished himself with tools for his purpose; and used frequently to
oblige the princes and lords with making them chests, &c. Rer Moume sent
and desired him to get leave of Rer Trimmonongarevo to come and make him
one; which he did. As this artificer spoke the Madagascar language
freely, we were agreeable companions. He told me, as part of his secret
history, that he was violently in love with a young woman, whose
parents, though they were not inclined to the match, did not positively
give him a denial. After he had stayed here nearly two months, and
finished what Rer Moume had to do, he was dismissed with a generous
reward.