where our boats can at no time come ashore; these slaves, and those of
Port Dauphine are esteemed the best in the island. Before we went from
hence, I heard that deaan Morroughsevea of Port Dauphine, was killed in
the expedition he went on, after I left him. Before I proceed farther in
my account of this voyage, as I am now on the east side of the island, I
shall take notice of the principal places on it.
About seven leagues to the northward of Mattatanna, is Melancaro. Here
is a river with eight feet of water on the bar, which divides the two
kingdoms of Mattatanna and Tronghe. The inhabitants of the latter are
numerous and obliging, but cannot trade for want of canoes. About ten
leagues from Tronghe is Maninzarce; they would willingly trade with the
English, but as they have no canoes, and it is a wild shore, where our
boats cannot land, it is impracticable. About twenty leagues farther to
the northward is Mungaro; the natives whereof are always at war with the
inhabitants of Port St. Mary’s and the pirates. The king’s name is
Maulaunza. They have no canoes here, but if a captain would take some
with him from Mattatanna, they would gladly trade with him. St. Mary’s
is an island three leagues off the main, in latitude 16 deg. 30 min. and
has a good harbour. Here are about twenty white men, formerly pirates,
who now live on their ill-gotten treasures.
Antogeal is in the latitude of 16 deg. 15 min. Here is a clear deep bay,
keep the north shore on board. At the bottom of it, is a small island of
two or three miles in circumference, in which is a good harbour. The
Dutch had formerly a fort on it. Here are grampuses and whales, which
the natives have the art of taking. Barimbass is in latitude 15 deg.:
the inhabitants have canoes, and will come off at first sight of a ship.
The king is very courteous to white men, and takes pleasure in trading
with them.
Our next business was to go to Port Dauphine, where the death of their
king was confirmed; we found the country in sad confusion, and in no
condition for trading; so we took our men, slaves, and goods on board,
and proceeded round the southernmost end of the island.
The country next adjoining to Port Dauphine, or Antenosa, is
Anterndroea, where the Degrave was wrecked, and which was the melancholy
scene of my captivity. Joining to this is Merfaughla, which lies a
little to the southward, in latitude 26 deg. south. The want of canoes
in both these countries renders them incapable of trading. The next port
is St. Augustine-bay, in which is a fresh water river, with twelve feet
of water at spring tides; it flows south-south-east, and
north-north-west. Tulea lies seven leagues to the northward, and is a
very good harbour.
As you sail from St. Augustine-bay to Yong-Owl, there are several little
islands. The two first are in the latitude of 21 deg. about five leagues
distant from the main island. A little farther is a single island with
lofty trees on it; and still farther to the northward, there are three
sandy islands, with breakers between them. A north-east course carries
you clear and along shore, but keep in fifteen, sixteen, or seventeen
fathoms’ water. On the banks are nine, ten, or twelve fathoms’ water.
When you are past the sandy islands, the coast is clear to Yong-Owl.
This is an open road in the latitude of 20 deg. 20 min. There is good
anchoring in sixteen fathoms’ water, not above a mile from the shore.
There is no high land near the shore on all this coast, but there are
high mountains up the country. Munnonhaugher is a river which they call
Manzerroy, in which is fourteen or fifteen fathoms’ water. It flows east
and west twelve feet right up and down on spring tides: you go up the
river six or seven leagues to the usual place where they traffic. A
little to the southward of this is another river, called Luna, to which
a ship comes from Arabia once a year. This place is called Masseleege,
or the country of Munnongaro, whereof deaan Toke-offu is the sovereign,
and of which I have already given a sufficient account.
Our business now was at Yong-Owl, where we arrived on the 16th of
October; the captain went with me up the country to Moherbo, and took
his musicians with us. As soon as I came on shore, I was informed that
Rer Trimmonongarevo was dead, and Rer Moume succeeded him, and lived at
Moherbo. I sent a messenger before me to acquaint him that I was coming
to pay my duty to him, and had brought a ship to trade here pursuant to
my promise; but as soon as we came to a town on this side Moherbo, we
saw abundance of people pulling down a wooden house, in which the corpse
of Rer Trimmonongarevo was interred; the reason whereof, as the natives
told me, was as follows:—“That Rer Trimmonongarevo had appeared to Rer
Moume in the night time, and asked him why he put him above his father
Lohefutee? and he seemed to resent his son’s ill conduct, and ordered
his body to be taken up, and put lower than his father’s, and his house
likewise, which was erected for a monument to be levelled with his
father’s.” When I came to Rer Moume, he did not know me in my new dress;
I soon let him understand who I was, for I could not forbear to lick his
knees. His generous and humane deportment towards me, made me esteem him
as my father, and he was equally overjoyed to see me. His wives,
likewise, expressed their pleasure. I went to review my cattle, for,
according to his promise, he had kept them all for me; and as they were
now considerably increased, I marked the young ones with a particular
signet, for he insisted that they still are mine.
We got our whole complement of slaves here in ten weeks’ time, and
sailed from hence January 7. We touched at St. Helena and at Barbadoes,
from thence we proceeded to Rapphanick river in Virginia, where we sold
our slaves, took in tobacco, and then set sail for England. On the 11th
day of September, 1720, we arrived in the Downs.
Thus have I endeavoured to give a true and faithful narrative of what I
thought most remarkable in this island. I have seen the “Atlas
Geographicus,” which is, I presume, a collection of what has been
written concerning this island. And though there are some things
mentioned there, of which I give no account, I see no reason to depart
from any particular herein contained, or to make any additions. I have
related only what I saw, and know to be fact. There is an insect amongst
them I have not mentioned, called the scorpion, a troublesome animal,
and the only venomous creature I ever saw there. As to what is asserted
in the “Atlas” before-mentioned, that the natives are Mahometans, I have
read, since I came to England, some account of the Mahometan religion,
but can find no conformity or similitude in it to this of Madagascar; on
the contrary, Mahomet pretended to have familiar converse with God, but
these people would be shocked to hear that deaan Unghorray, their
Supreme God, ever conversed with the greatest monarch. There is one
custom I have omitted, and that is, their abstaining from their women at
certain times, as the Jews do. The Virzimbers, whom some imagine to be
the first inhabitants of this island, I have said before, differ in some
points of religion; but then it is to be understood in the forms and
manner of their worship and ceremonies, for they have owleys as others
have, and entertain the same notions of a Supreme God, the lords of the
four quarters of the world, spirits, &c.
ROBERT DRURY.
N.B. The author, for some years before his death, was to be spoken with
every day at Old Tom’s coffeehouse in Birchin-lane; at which place
several inquisitive gentlemen have received from his own mouth the
confirmation of those particulars which seemed dubious, or carried with
them the least air of a romance.
SEQUEL.
Very little is known of the subsequent life of Robert Drury, but that
little is satisfactory both in regard to his veracity and respectability
in his humble situation. On his return to England, he went in the first
place to Loughborough, in his native county, in which town he had a
sister and other relatives. He afterwards came to London, where he
obtained the situation of porter at the East India House; and it is said
that his father left him two hundred pounds, and the reversion of a
house at Stoke Newington. His extraordinary adventures procured him much
attention, and many curious persons were in the habit of calling upon
him at his house in Lincoln’s-inn-fields, then unenclosed; when he used
to amuse them by throwing a javelin in the manner of the natives of
Madagascar, who had taught him to hit a small mark at a very surprising
distance. Mr Duncombe, who died in 1769, the translator of Horace, and
editor of the works of his brother-in-law, Hughes the poet, had a friend
who had frequently witnessed this feat, and conversed with Drury, a fact
which is mentioned in the second volume of Hughes’s “Letters” by
Duncombe, page 258. Nothing farther is known of the life of Robert
Drury, nor has the time of his death been recorded.
A VOCABULARY
OF THE
MADAGASCAR LANGUAGE.
A
All _earbe_
alive _valu_
ants _vetick_
arm _vorecka_
ask _munganton_
aunt _l’rorvovvaranuke_
above _ambunna_
adding _tovoungay_
adorn _merervaugher_
advise _mearnorro_
afar off _larvitch_
afraid _mertorhocks_
after _afarrong_
aged _antichs_
agree _melongore_
aiming _munondroer_
age _antitch_
alone _earare_
altar _fesoronegher_
alter _youvoyea_
amaze _chareck_
anchor _tumborto_
anger _maluke_
angle _merminter_
ankle _pucopuke_
anoint _whosora_
answer _mungonore_
any body _lerhulu_
appoint _mermutore_
arm-pit _kelleck_
archer _permawlay_
arise _fuher_
army _taffick_
arrow _anucfalla_
ascend _munonego_
ashes _lavanuck_
asleep _lentey_
awoke _mertearro_
argument _meanconne_
alligator _voarha_
B
Body _jorzarmaner_
boy _jorzarloyhe_
brother _royloyhe_
basin _lerveerferuchs_
brass _sarber_
black _minetay_
bull _omebayloyhe_
brains _bettu_
breast _trotter_
belly _troke_
back _lambosick_
beef _haner_
bird _voro_
belly-full _vinchy_
beads _arraer_
blood _raw_
bandy _sekearf_
boil _mundavy_
broil _metonu_
boil over _mundroer_
butterfly _tondrotto_
blunderbuss _bosse_
bite _munghabecks_
broke _foluck_
buy _mevele_
broth _ro_
blow _chuffu_
beat _fufuho_
bullock _vosists_
bitter _merfaughts_
backbone _towler lambosick_
bad _rawcthe_
big _bay_
bald-head _soroluher_
barrel _brecker_
bee _ranatcntala_
before _ungulore_
beg _mungortock_
behind _affarro_
bottle _folokuke_
bosom _arrongher_
beheaded _tompucluher_
bullet _baller_
bastard _sarray_
by and by _andreck anna arny_
broom _mermoffer_
beard _somuchs_
breath _onygha_
bones _towler_
beans _antuck_
bed _keban_
basket _harro_
ball _hechurch_
borrow _mungaborrow_
book or paper _terra toss_
buffuler _howlu_
bee-hive _tohoke_
bundle _mevorovore_
blind _chemerheter_
burning _mundavengher_
bell _potchew_
belly-ache _merrawrafu_
bread _moffu_
bladder _tervenneer_
beauty _sengger_
baked _tongoffu_
bow _ranafalla_
bark _hulitcharzo_
barrel of a gun _cornu_
burden _enter_
C
Child _annack_
carravances _vungember_
cocoa-nut _wooernew_
cloud _rawho_
cold _merninchy_
calabash _vartarvo_
copper _sarbermaner_
cat _chacker_
cow _omebayvovva_
cattle _omebay_
cheek _fawho_
crow _quark_
call _kyhu_
clear _merlu_
crooked _maluke_
cock _kuholoyhe_
capon _kuho vosist_
candle _charreck_
choose _mcchutors_
covetous _mertete_
cotton _hawsey_
conjuror _umossee_
climb _munganeeher_
chest _sundoke_
coffin _harzowonger_
come _haveer_
cock crow _kuhumunganu_
chin _somo_
calf _anuack an omebay_
clout _seeke_
clean _merrere_
comb _morrotondro_
common or plain _munto_
coward _merwoozo_
calf of a leg _veete_
canoe _lacker_
change _mernercollu_
carry _entu_
creep _lomorly_
circumcised _meforer_
cane _tangerer_
caul _sassuchhaner_
choke _bohair_
cream _hendro_
cannon _futore_
cotton-tree _zare_
chamelion _taw_
cloudy _merauho_
cloud _rauho_
cry _tomonghe_
cutlass _vearawrer_
come here _mehoveatowe_
civil _woocust_
come down _mejuchore_
come along _aloyho_
cartouch box _fitter pinner_
D
Daughter _annackampeller_
dark _myeak_
dish _ampondrer_
dog _amboer_
dry _mungetterhetter_
day _hawndro_
dirty _merlauchs_
drum _azzoloyhe_
drunk _wooersekarfe_
dead _morte_
dripping _solick_
done _effer_
duck _cherere_
deaf _merrengha_
dust _lumbook_
dew _aundew_
door _varavongher_
divide _vackue_
drone _ferzimber_
dream _munganofee_
dropped _larchuck_
dropped it _larchorho_
E
Earth _tonna_
ear _sofee_
eye _moffu_
eyelids _voloheak_
eyebrows _volohondring_
elbow _hehu_
enemy _raffaloyhe_
eat _humonner_
even _merer_
enough _tondra_
ell _hanarlavver_
egg _tule_
evening _arever_
eight _varlo_
eighty _varlofolo_
eight hundred _varlozawto_
eight thousand _varlo arevo_
east _teenongher_
F
Father _royya_ or _arber_
fence _faretchs_
forehead _hondring_
foot _feendeer_
fruit _wooerarzo_
finger _tonedro_
fish _feer_
fishing lines _tollevinter_
friend _lonego_
four _effutchs_
five _deeme_
fifteen _folodeemeamby_
five and twenty _rowafolo deeme amby_
five and thirty _talufolo deeme amby_
five and forty _effuchfolo deemu amby_
five and fifty _deemefolo deeme amby_
five and sixty _enuingfolo deeme amby_
five and seventy _fetofolo deeme amby_
five and eighty _varlofolo deeme amby_
five and ninety _seveefolo deeme amby_
five hundred _deeme zawto_
five thousand _deeme arevo_
fat _vonedruck_
flower _turvolo_
flea _peer_
fly _lawletchs_
fickle _harraravvo_
fool _addoller_
fly away _tumeelingher_
file _choffer_
full _fennu_
full moon _volormer autchs_
fright _mertawhoutchs_
fight _mealleer_
fighting _mealle_
fire _ossu_
fishing _merminter_
flint _offovarto_
flesh _nofuch_
fox _foser_
forty _effuch folo_
fan _fernimper_
fly _tumeeling_
feathers, or hair, _volo_
fetters _parra-pingo_
flame _lellar_
flower, or blossom, _vonegha_
flesh-fork _fundrambahaner_
freemen _lovohitchs_
fill it up _fennuyea_
forget _hawlingho_
flux _tonchoruck_
fry _mungendy_
flag _floy_
flood _fororawno_
fetch _mungolor_
fist _fettock_
fortunate _moss_
fast _fortuchs_
G
God _deaan Unghorray_
grandfather _rozackloyhe_
grandmother _rozackampeller_
grandchild _zaffu_
guinea corn _ampember_
ground _ton_
gold _volarmaner_
green _michne_
goat _osa_
get up _fahavvo_
go _mundaher_
go along _mundahanner_
garment _sekey_ or _lamber_
gun _ampegaurrutchs_
girl _jorzorampeller_
great _bay_
goose _onego-onego_
guinea-hen _congar_
guts _tenaugh_
get farther _mesorangha_
grass _habbetchs_
give me some _mungay may_
give you none _chemung a may_
give _youmayow_
good _suer_
guard _ambenner_
grow _metombo_
great way _larvitchs_
gunpowder _pounday_
not good _chesuer_
get you gone _meangor_
garlic _tonegulick_
grindstone _sungherer_
grind _sungheru_
good while _ailer_
H
House _trangho_
honey _tentala_
heat _merfanner_
hail _avandrar_
head _luher_
hair _volo_
hand _tongher_
heart _fu_
hog _lambo_
hook _vinter_
horn _tondrook_
hide _mevonoor_
hyde _hulutchs_
hungry _homerserray_
hundred _zawto_
hat _satook_
hoof _hooto_
here _inteer_
hear _merray_
hen _coohovovva_
hearken _metinoor_
hot _moy_
hill, or mountain, _vohitcht_
head-ache _luhermungalelu_
husband _valley_
hatchet _fermackey_
halt _tarehu_
how do you _whosuer_
hunt _mungoro_
hole _lavvack_
how many _fera_
hoe _soro_
horse _suwaller_
heel _hehu_
hedgehog _sorer_
hiccough _suecendrotch_
hire _metombozzar_
hark _metinore_
hammer _furnurore_
I J
Jar _senevolo_
idle _merwoozzo_
jealous _mermerrothhe_
jest _somoneger_
joint _sandre_
I won’t _zawho merloy_
I will _atawuck_
I’ll do no more _chemernowquere_
itch _hauta_
I _zawho_
iron _ve_
island _nosa_
K
King _panzaccar_
kick _timpaughho_
kill _vonu_
kidneys _wooerhaner_
ketch _sumboro_
knife _messu_
kite _perponge_
knee _luhalleck_
L
Ladle _suddro_
land _tata_ or _tonna_
lance _luffu_
lie down _mundraer_
light _merzavvo_
lightning _munghaluchs_
lights _rabuchhaner_
look, or see, _merchinsover_
looking-glass _hachoro_
low _eever_
let go _ellyfoy_
lie _mervanda_
love _taark_
little _kala_
live _valu_
lemon _voersarra_
loss _lavo_
leaf _ravven_
lead _ferock_
lips _soneghe_
leg _tomebook_
liver _attinhaner_
louse _hough_
long _lavvar_
lend _mungaborro_
lock, or key, _fungheily_
lock of a gun _sophe ampegar satch_
long while _alelur_
locust _verloller_
lizard _roso_
left hand _tongher avveer_
lean _merheer_
looseness _ohorawha_
lobster _orur_
lick _lalouw_
don’t love it _hallucht_
M
Man _loyhe_
mad _tounzaccar_
many _mawrow_
maggot _oletchs_
mother _ranna_
moon _voler_
men _hulu_
milk _ronoonu_
monkey _vergee_
midnight _mutungalla_
mouth _vovvor_
muskmelon _wantange_
mud _futuck_
million _arrla_
muskittoes _moco_
morning _emerrawha_
to-morrow _hummerrawha_
mead _toak_
marrow _manuccover_
melt _tennoo_
milt _arrachaner_
mouse _varlarvo_
N
Nail of finger _oho_
navel _feutch_
nine _seve_
neck _woozzo_
ninety _seve folo_
nine hundred _seve zawto_
nothing _shemishe_
night _aulla_
north _avarruchs_
needle _fingihts_
no _charra_
nose _oroong_
nigh _merreena_
net _arratto_
nettles _fundrozo_
O
Oath _mefontorr_
one _eser_
old _antichs_
ox _vositchs_
oil _tongon tongher_
open _sucorffu_
t’other day _orertroung_
P
Potatoes _ovemarme_
plantain _ounche_
plantation _tateck_
plant _fumbulayher_
pap _nunu_
partridge _hattacottoe_
pine-apple _mernasse_
pillar _ounder_
plumb _lomoty_
powder _poundey_
point _metrondroer_
pistol _plato_
poison _vorick_
prisoner _sambuch_
pot _velongha_
pipe _keloyhe_
poor _rarroc_
people _hulu_
pepper _saccavero_
plunder _mundravor_
pitch _leta_
pleasant _mertarva_
pirate _kindoc_
purslain _toyanomebaloyhe_
periwinkle _dedder_
pigeon _dahew_
Q
Quick _merlacky_
R
Rain _orer_
rainbow _avvar_
rammer _funhochuck_
razor _feharratchs_
red _maner_
rice _varray_
rich _manzarry_
rise _fuher_
rough _meraffu_
run _lomoy_
rope _tolle_
runaway _leffer_
ripe _mossock_
ribs _towlertahazuc_
right hand _tongher avanner_
S
Sand _fasse_
salt _serer_
sail _loy_
son _annacloyhe_
sun _andro_
slave _andavo_
steer _rorvovva_
sugarcane _farray_
sugar _serermarme_
sweet _marme_
star _verseer_
spoon _suto_
silver _volerfutey_
scull _harrandluker_
shoulder _soroke_
sleep _meroro_
shot _berseer_
six _eanning_
seven _feeto_
seventeen _folofeetoambe_
seventy _feeto folo_
six hundred _eanning zawto_
seven hundred _feeto zawto_
six thousand _eanning arevo_
seven thousand _feeto arevo_
small _merlinick_
sunrise _terrack_
sunset _soffutch andro_
small _oruff_
small shot _pottchuck_
spittle _eva_
spit _mundorer_
south _ateemo_
sore _boy_
sour _mervoyha_
ship _sambo_
stink _manche_
strong _merharee_
short _fuher_
spirit _lulu_
seize _samboro_
shoe _hunghermaro_
stool _feketrar_
sick _merrawra_
sky _longitchs_
smooth _merlammer_
sound, noise, or barking of a dog, _mungano_
shoot _teferu_
shave _haharu_
soft _merlemma_
smothered _settuck_
smoke _lembook_
smoke a pipe _metroher tobacco_
shut the door _arradingho_
sell _vele_
sour milk _ronoonumandra_
sea _reac_
servant, sir _salamonger_
snares _faundric_
see _merheter_
I see it _he tucko_
shirt _commeser_
seat _fetuaruc_
speak _mevolengher_
sweet scented _maungetchs_
some _mishe_
speckle _wander_
shake _mungozooner_
stay _munding_
spring of water _vovo_
spring of the year _sarrar_
spring of a gun lock _allesoro_
swim _lomong_
shame _manghetchs_
split _vaccu_
small pox _creer_
staff _zahharr_
skin _huletchs_
side _tohazuc_
slender _merlenec_
spinage _orngha_
serpent _manerrander_
snake _mary_
spin _mundoroutchs_
stand _mechangonner_
steel _veoffo_
steal _mungaulutchs_
scissors _hette_
snore _mearoutchs_
sweat _lingetch_
sing _meansaw_
shore _tomeboho_
spit _fermerlarzor_
silly _mernay_
sheep _oundy_
spider _morrotongher_
stone _varto_
sink _tumborto_
T
Tamarind _keley_
tankard _furnumerrauno_
take _rumbessu_
think _mevetchevetch_
trumpet _anchever_
thirteen _folotaluambe_
three _talu_
thunderbolt _apmy_
thigh _fay_
thunder _hotook_
town _tannarr_
thread _fola_
thorn _forte_
told _mungaborrow_
tears _rawnomossu_
tobacco _tobacco_
toe _annackinc_
two _roaa_
ten _folo_
twenty _roaafolo_
thousand _arevo_
thief _ampegalutchs_
teeth _neefa_
tongue _leller_
tie _fahaugh_
trigger _funghatchu_
tail _ohe_
land turtle _hachaffu_
sea turtle _faunu_
tall _lavvor_
turn _metuleher_
tell one, two, &c. _mungesau_
tread _hechawho_
through _torawho_
thrive _munzarre_
take _rumbessu_
tutanag _ferockfutey_
timber _harzo_
U V
Uncle _ranaloyhe_
under _umbonna_
udder _vorotchs_
ugly _rawtche_
vomit _mundoer_
uncivil _chewoocust_
W
Water _rawno_
water melon _woerzarvo_
wax _luco_
warm _moy_
wave _onezur_
wind _ornghin_
wood _auler_
white _fute_
wild _melampo_
what _eno_
what’s this _eno toey_
what’s the matter _eno zow_
what are you doing _eno tough now_
wadding _hueto_
west _audreffer_
wood for firing _hatoy_
wonder _cherrec_
work _mearsar_
wife _walley_
weary _mocoutchs_
white man _verzarhar_
wide _mertarcheths_
whisper _bisabise_
wasp _fundroso_
wrist _soro_
wise _merhehitchs_
winter _fouser_
whistle _fuke_
weave _mernendru_
wet _lay_
Y
Yam _ove_
years _color_
year _taough_
yes _toquore_
yonder _aruea_
yesterday _umorla_
DAYS OF THE WEEK.
Sunday _Alhaida_
Monday _Alletenine_
Tuesday _Talorter_
Wednesday _Alarrerbeer_
Thursday _Commeeshe_
Friday _Jumor_
Saturday _Sarbueche_
THE END.
LONDON:
Printed by W. CLOWES,
Stamford-street.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES
1. Silently corrected obvious typographical errors and variations in
spelling.
2. Retained archaic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings as printed.
3. Enclosed italics font in _underscores_.
4. Enclosed blackletter font in =equals=.