Chapter XI: Preface (10)

This melancholy tale so shocked me, that I sat mute and as fixed as a statue, till the man perceiving my concern, roused me by asking me my name; and if I had not thoughts of going to the king before I went to deaan Trongha, as, they said, was my duty; but I told them I was a freeman, and would act as I had already told them; so they gave me a mat, and I lay down ruminating on the hard fortune that attended me; but as Providence had taken care of me hitherto, I did not question but in due time my deliverance would be accomplished; and with this resignation I laid me down to rest.

These men were very courteous to me, and pressed me to stay two or three days with them; but I only breakfasted there, giving them some of my beef, which they accepted, though it was far from being good. When they found I was determined to go, they made me a present of a parcel of roasted susers to carry with me, and accompanied me as far as the path, and showed me how to find these susers, which till then I had never seen; they grow like wild yams, which were their principal diet. This was the twenty-seventh day of my travels, and turning out of the path into the wood, I hunted about for such an inn as had served me many a night before; which I soon found, made a fire, and after supper slept very contentedly.

The next morning I met with four men, who informed me, that though I could not reach deaan Trongha’s town, yet I might Rer Befaugher’s, and he would send a man to direct me. My way lay over a high hill, from whence I saw the sea, and the road where the ships used to lie in Augustine-bay; on the other hand was the great river, and the country very pleasant along its banks. When I came to the bottom, some boys who were tending their cattle ran up to me, for they are not afraid of white men, and one of them very courteously offered to show me the way to the town.

On my arrival, the people stared to see a white man without clothes; some said, a ship was arrived; but most said, I could not come from a ship naked, and without a hat. When I came near Rer Befaugher’s house, I perceived he looked earnestly at me, not knowing me at first; but, when I came nearer, he arose from his seat, clapped his hand to his mouth and cried, “Ah! Ry-Robin, how came you here?” Had I been his brother, he could not have embraced me with more affection. As soon as I was seated, several came about me; some who knew me in the army asked me, who were with me? And when I answered, nobody, they wondered how I could find the way by myself; but when I informed them how I lost my way, and came through the mountainous wilderness, and what stratagems I made use of to pass the rivers, they were perfectly astonished.

Rer Befaugher took me into his house, and made me sup with him; he had roast beef, and his wife brought milk on purpose for me. I asked about the state of the country, and he gave much the same account I had heard before; with this addition, that he expected every day that Rer Trimmenongarevo would come, and ravage the whole country, for they were altogether incapable of making any resistance; those, however, who were the pillars of the land, were determined to stand till they were cut down by death, and not to fly. For indeed, said he, we have nowhere to go but into the sea, and we have no notion of living there as you white men have.

When we had supped, and talked till I was sleepy, he sent a man with me to a house prepared for my reception. The next morning I begged the favour of him to send a man to direct me in the right road to deaan Trongha’s; but he would go himself. I told him that it was too great a condescension, and too much beneath his dignity, to attend a slave as I was. He answered, that he never looked on white men as slaves, and that he had waited on several. And Rer Vovvern, as well as he, had clothed and maintained some who did not deserve it, but they did it for the sake of others; for, says he, here have been some very quarrelsome people who come ashore, and never go aboard again, and behave themselves shamefully ill. I asked him what they trafficked for here. He said, for nothing but provision, for which they gave them gold and silver in exchange, and sometimes pieces of silk; and when they sail away, no one, nay, they themselves don’t know to what country they are going: for they are wicked, careless wretches, and their whole business is to plunder other ships. I told him, they were to blame either to assist them, or sell them any provisions; and that the government of England was at a prodigious expense to fit out ships on purpose to destroy them, for they spoil the merchants’ trade, and were a disgrace to their country. The English, for the generality, said he, were very good people, and by the trade which they drove with them, were of singular service to their country. That he had been on board divers ships, and had met with several captains, who were very honest men, for they used to receive him in the most courteous manner, and entertain him with wine, punch, and brandy; and sometimes another sort of liquor that was very bitter, what the name of it was he could not tell, but they loved it themselves. I told him it was beer. He said, yes; but he could never drink it with any pleasure. Thus we went chatting along to deaan Trongha’s, which was about two hours’ walk. When we arrived the people flocked round me, some saying a samb-tuley; that is to say, a ship was arrived, but others said no, for men seldom come naked from a ship.

When I came before deaan Trongha, I perceived he did not recollect me, I offered to kneel and lick his feet, but he would not permit; saying, be he who he may, he is a white man, and they shall never lick black men’s feet. At length, his brother informed him who I was: no sooner had he heard it than he rose up, and embraced me with abundance of joy and friendship. When we had been seated some time, and I had given them an account of my travels, he told me, I was still a very unfortunate man; for they were in a very poor state and condition, and I should be miserably mistaken, if I expected to live happy there. I told him, it could not well be worse than it had been with me all along, and I was determined to live with him all my life long, if he pleased to admit me into his service, unless he would be so indulgent to me as to send me home when a ship came. He told me, I should fare as he did himself; for he looked on it as his duty to relieve a white man in distress, for the favours he and his family had received from my countrymen. In short, he received me with such tokens of friendship, and treated me with so much tenderness, that my own father could not have shown me more compassion. He lamented very much the deplorable circumstances to which his country was reduced, and was extremely afraid lest the white men should know it; for then, said he, they would never come to trade with us any more, nor give me an opportunity of sending you to your native home.

When I had eaten and drunk with him, he took his leave of his brother, being obliged to guard the slaves who were at work in the plantations, lest they should be surprised and taken by small parties of their northern enemy, who lay in ambuscade, in order to sally out, and carry off what they could steal on a sudden, and so run away again. When we were a little way out of town, we came to a spacious thicket of wild canes, reeds, and rushes; in the midst of which were the plantations, bounded on the other side with the great river Oneghaloyhe. Here were plantains, bonanoes, sugar-canes, and rice, with all these the southern country from whence I came were wholly unacquainted; but here were likewise several things which I had seen before, as anbotty, anchoroko, &c. These were but lately planted and sowed; the enemy having destroyed all the plantations in the incursions they made, whilst deaan Trongha, &c. were in the late war in Merfaughla. I began to suspect that he intended to set me to work, but I soon perceived he had no such design; for he gave me his gun, and told me since I was willing to be his servant, all he should require of me should be to carry his gun, and never to be the length of it from him, that in case of a surprise he might have it at hand.

As we went homewards, some of our people climbed up tamarind trees, and gathered abundance of the fruit. I asked them what they did with it. Eat it said they. I told them, it was impossible to eat much of it, without setting their teeth on edge. It is sour enough, indeed, said they, if we do not put ashes to it to make it sweet. I laughed at them for their ignorance, but when I came home there were platters full mixed with them for our supper. The strings of the tamarinds, which are white, appearing in it when thus mixed, I could not forbear comparing it to mortar with hair in it; but when I tasted it, I found it was sweet beyond my expectations. I could not, however, be rightly reconciled to it at first, being prejudiced as men too frequently are, even against the testimony of their senses. Deaan Trongha perceiving that I did not much like my mess, assured me that this was always esteemed amongst them a pleasant dish, when they had the greatest profusion of other things. Sometimes, indeed, said he, we have nothing else to eat. I have seen many odd things eaten, but nothing ever surprised me more than sour tamarinds mixed with wood ashes, becoming sweet and palatable. Let the chemists reason and philosophize upon it at their leisure, I can assure them it is matter of fact; and can produce several gentlemen now living in London, to testify the same who have seen me mix it. It did not rightly agree with me, indeed, the first time I eat it; but after I was used to it a little, I never found any inconvenience attend it afterwards.

Deaan Trongha had two wives, who lived in separate apartments. He divided himself pretty equally between them, living nearly as much at one house as at the other, in order to prevent any jealousies on either side, and to keep up a harmony between them. Now it is customary for them to appoint every slave his proper mistress, to whose commands he is peculiarly to attend; and it is her business to see what they want, and give it them. He did not, however, appoint me any such service; but said, that as I was a person in distress, and my lot by Providence was cast amongst them, it was their duty to provide for all such; but as for me, he had a more particular regard for my misfortunes, for the sake of my fathers and brothers, (meaning Englishmen;) and for that reason, he had ordered that I should be taken care of at both their houses, and had free liberty to go to either of them at my pleasure, where I found the best entertainment; and, indeed, as long as there was meat, I had my proportionable share with them. Though he behaved himself with decency enough to both of them, yet I observed the first wife was a greater favourite than the other, upon which account, she was distinguished by the title of his head wife. He was at her apartment when I came first, and when these directions were given; so she immediately furnished me with a pot or two, and calabash, &c. for my use; but as she had not every thing I wanted, he sent a servant with me to the other, and she as cheerfully supplied me with what my occasion required, chiding me in a friendly manner for not coming sooner to pay her a visit: so I sat down and had half an hour’s conversation with her; and to do them both justice, their behaviour towards me was perfectly courteous and engaging.

The next morning two messengers came from deaan Mernaugha; deaan Trongha being desired to go and consult with the king on some affairs of importance. When they were taking their leave, he would not let them depart till he had killed a heifer to entertain them with, notwithstanding provision was so very scarce; and here I found the same generous manner of treating one another as was practised in Anterndroea, for most of the people in town came about the house, and no one went away without some portion of beef. As to their cookery, they have but a slovenly manner of dressing their meat here, for the liver, as soon as it was extracted, was thrown directly into the fire and broiled in smoke and ashes, and the entrails were broiled likewise with but very little cleaning. I had a piece of beef given me to dress at home, and we all lived well as long as this lasted. When I went the next morning, the deaan was dressing himself in order to go; for though he had no clothes to put on, yet some time was spent in curling his hair and platting it into knots. After he was shaved, the owley was brought out and dressed to be carried before him, for he went in state. The friendship between deaan Mernaugha and him not being over hearty or sincere, made him go in more form than otherwise he would have done. I carried his gun after him. We marched up an easy ascent of nearly two miles, when I perceived we were near the sea; the descent on the other side extended to the shore of St. Augustine-bay, where there were ships generally at anchor. Here deaan Trongha showed me the spot of ground on which the English built their houses during their residence in these parts. It was an agreeable prospect to me, though at that time there were no ships. I saw some canoes a considerable way out at sea; some men I could perceive were striking and darting fish, and others in the water, as high as their knees, at the same diversion; for the sand is almost flat, so that one may walk at low water above a mile into the sea. The seacoast lay almost north and south, but from whence I came, it lay east and west. After we had passed through a wood, on a point of land, we came among the towns which belonged to deaan Mernaugha. Every body stared to see a white man naked, and at first took me for the Dutchman who had lived amongst them, and who would have sometimes very odd freaks; but my fame flew before me, and when I came to deaan Mernaugha’s, I was very well known; for after the usual compliments were over, he asked “where was the white man who came from Anterndroea;” I not being in sight, having delivered my gun to my master. Whereupon I was called, and seated amongst them. The king asked me about my travels, and the adventures I had met with; and I very readily gratified him with my whole story at large. A bullock was given to deaan Trongha, for the entertainment of himself and his retinue.

At night there was a long consultation about the posture of affairs: none were admitted to this august assembly, but a few principal men, among whom I had the honour to be one; but to my no small mortification, I heard deaan Mernaugha propose to send nine hundred, or a thousand people, under the command of deaan Trongha into Merfaughla, to join with deaan Crindo against deaan Woozington. This scheme was approved of, and unanimously agreed to; the manner and time were both appointed, which was not to be till some months after. When we broke up, deaan Trongha told me the whole assembly had confidence in me; as knowing it to be my interest to keep their secrets. But, says he, a more than ordinary care is absolutely necessary at this juncture; for the common people abandon us to live under other lords, if our proceedings do not please them; though we aim at nothing but their own security and welfare. They have not, however, the sense to know it, and will be for ever throwing reflections on our conduct, and finding fault, though we lose our wives, families, and cattle, and run all hazards to protect them. It is natural for the refuse of the people to abuse their superiors; but yet governors ought nevertheless to study the good of their country, and defend those under their care from injuries and insults, without regarding such reflections; but then those things which we very well know beforehand, and they have not the sense to understand or judge of, ought never to be divulged.

I assured him of my fidelity, but told him that what I heard gave me no small uneasiness, since I was apprehensive that he would press me to go with him; where my former master, Mevarrow, would very probably be, whose barbarous treatment I had too much experience of, not to dread the consequence of being again in his power. He replied, that could never be; for they know (said he) that I am resolute, and that it would be dangerous for any man to provoke me so far, since it might prove the ruin of the whole army; for I am determined to protect you at the hazard of my own life, and revenge with the utmost severity any affront that shall be offered to you. I was not perfectly satisfied, but as I knew him to be a man of strict honour, I had all the reason imaginable to depend upon it. When I returned to my companions, they used their utmost endeavours to sift out of me the purport of their council; but I told them with a very careless air, that I stood at a distance, and did not observe one word that passed.

Deaan Trongha took his leave the next morning, acquainting the king, his nephew, that his owley had warned him in the night of some danger that attended his town from the enemy, in case he stayed much longer. As I was on this side the country, I desired to go and see Eglasse the Dutchman. The deaan assured me he would make it in his way home. Eglasse was very much surprised when the children came running to him, and cried, “Arve verzahar!” that is, a white man is coming; for he knew of no one in the country. One Efflep a negro of the West Indies, who was left ashore by pirates many years before, lived not far from him, and spoke nothing but English; for being very deaf, he never learned the Madagascar language. He had two sons, however, born on the island of a native mother, who spoke both languages tolerably well. When I approached Eglasse, he pulled off his hat to me; but poor Robin was not in a condition to return the compliment. At first he spoke Dutch to me, but perceiving I did not understand him, he spoke a little broken English; and I had as little to say for myself in that, as the other. Thereupon I asked for an interpreter to speak English for me; which set deaan Trongha and the rest a laughing at first; but they pitied my hard lot afterwards, to have lived in a foreign country all the flower of my age. But James, Efflep’s eldest son, carried on a conversation amongst us to the entire satisfaction of every one then present. Eglasse pressed me to live constantly with him; but I told him I would not leave deaan Trongha on any account whatever. For he was a man of great generosity and humanity; one, moreover, of great authority, and consequently able to protect me. I desired, however, that they would procure leave of him, to let me stay two or three days with them, which they did; and he as readily agreed to indulge me a whole week. I had heard but an indifferent character of Eglasse, with respect to his temper; he was rash and passionate, and would threaten the great men, not excepting the king himself, upon the slightest provocation, with what he would do as soon as the first ship arrived. This ill conduct of his rendered him distasteful to them; and for that reason I was cautious how I entered into too strict an amity with him. And it will soon appear, that my fears were justly grounded; for his continued indecent behaviour cost him his life at last.

Having now taken our farewell of deaan Trongha and his retinue, the pot was set on the fire by a slave named Toby, with a piece of salt beef, and potatoes dressed after the English manner. In the mean time, Eglasse ordered James to relate to me the history of his arrival and adventures here; and this conducing to my purpose, which is to give such an account of the various customs and manners of this island as may be useful to traders and navigators, and pleasing to the curious, I shall only transcribe here what he then told us.

“At a place called Masseleege,” said he, “on this island to the northward, there comes once a year a Moorish ship that brings silk lambers, and many other things to trade with for slaves. At this place one Burgess, called captain Burgess, and Robert Arnold had a sloop; Burgess, indeed, commanded, for Arnold knew nothing of navigation; one was as rich as the other, and both were equally concerned in the vessel. With this sloop they used to come to Augustine-bay and other places on the island, in order to buy slaves and carry them to Masseleege against the moor’s ship arrived. Eglasse sailed with them in this sloop. In one of their voyages to this place, Burgess and Arnold fell out to that degree, that the latter would stay no longer with Burgess; but prevailing on Eglasse to come on shore for his companion, he brought all his effects with him, consisting of several bags of dollars, a great many guns, powder, shot, chests of clothes, beads, &c. amounting in the whole to a considerable value. In a word, every thing that is proper to trade with in these parts. He told Eglasse that in case he survived him he should have all his effects; but their design was only to stay till a ship arrived in which they could procure a passage to Europe. Whether they durst go to England or not I cannot absolutely say; though I had good reason to suspect that a great part of these riches were obtained by piracy. There were two black slaves, this Toby and another, who in the sequel of this story will be called Robin, who could speak good English. These swam ashore the same night that captain Burgess sailed away, and surrendered themselves to Arnold.

“It happened a little before Rer Vovvern’s death, (and which was, indeed, the occasion of it,) that this country was invaded by two enemies at the same time; and whilst the greater part of the lords and people were marched off in order to oppose the northern enemy, Woozington, who was a southern foe, came unawares upon us, having passed the great river without being in the least suspected, and a bold general of his, named Ry-Opheck, attacked the town and the king’s house about midnight; Rer Vovvern himself was wounded in the thigh. Another party was likewise coming against us, whereupon every one was for flying to some shelter or other; as is not only customary, but indeed necessary in such cases. Arnold and Eglasse, however, having great riches, were resolved to defend them, and therefore armed themselves with guns, pistols, and cutlasses; but they no sooner appeared at their door than Arnold was shot dead on the spot. Eglasse was then glad to fly with his two slaves, Robin and Toby, for they never left him. The enemy plundered the house of what they saw convenient; which was all his wearing apparel, or any thing like it, even his beds for the ticking sake; the silver being black they knew not what it was, and therefore contented themselves with throwing it about. As to the cattle which they found in the pens they killed them all, for they had neither time nor strength enough to carry them off; nor were they able to defend themselves when once the country should make head against them. However, they took some captives and marched off in as great a hurry as they came, lest deaan Mundrosser, our present king’s brother, who is very well beloved by his countrymen, and feared by his enemies, should fall upon them; for we have not a greater man in war than he, deaan Trongha only excepted. Ry-Opheck’s fears and haste were just and proper; for deaan Mundrosser mustered an army in a few hours after, and overtook them before they could pass the river. The sound of his shells added wings to their flight, insomuch that they left their captives behind them; and he brought most of our women and children again, so that our loss was inconsiderable: for as to our valuable goods, we (who were apprehensive of surprise, and well knew the manner of the country) had dug holes in the ground and buried them there, and they had no time to search after them. When my father Efflep, my brother, and I returned, we missed none of our effects, but very much concerned and surprised to find Arnold not only dead, but naked; but as to his dollars they lay neglected and scattered up and down; till some of our people, who were no strangers to their use and value, took up a great many and concealed them from Eglasse. We threatened some of them, however, and made them refund, complaining to deaan Mernaugha; but they were above half lost. Eglasse was so confounded, that he never returned till some messengers, who were sent out after him, met with him at last, and conducted him and his two slaves home. He lives handsomely enough still, though he lost so much, having a plantation of his own and three or four good milch cows; and he is able to join with my father to buy an ox notwithstanding it is a very dear time, a good one being worth now ten dollars. Our king, Rer Vovvern, died in six weeks after, more with grief than of his wounds. He was very well beloved, being a good man and a gallant warrior; he was also a great friend to white men, but more especially to the English. I must not forget, however, to tell you here is another family you must be acquainted with too, and that is one Hempshire, a Guinea negro, who was formerly among the pirates, but has been settled here some considerable time. He has a very pretty woman to his wife, and also a daughter by her. Though the man is both blind and poor, yet Eglasse makes him many presents out of respect to his wife, as we imagine, for they are very intimate.”

Here Eglasse interrupted James, on hearing his own name and Mrs Hempshire’s too often, as he thought, mentioned together, and suspected that James was telling me of their supposed amour; so he broke off the discourse; though James said he was only expatiating on the christian-like manner in which he behaved to Hempshire and his family; but by this time dinner was ready. I found myself here a perfect negro in my way of eating, for I devoured my meat alone which made them laugh heartily; but what was a still greater mortification to me was, Hempshire, his wife and child came to pay me a visit; and Eglasse and he talked my adventures over in English, and it seemed like unintelligible jargon which I could not form my tongue to imitate; insomuch that I was apprehensive that I should never be able to speak my mother tongue again. A few days’ conversation however among these people, gave me hopes of recollecting it in time. Efflep and his sons were near neighbours to Eglasse, where I was invited the next day, and entertained in a very handsome manner after the English fashion, and much better than at Eglasse’s. We had not only a couple of capons boiled with rice, like a pilaw, but another dish of fried meat and boiled potatoes, served up on pewter plates, so that I began to fancy myself in a christian country. They also procured some toake for me, as Eglasse had done before; but it was scarce, there being no honey to be got. This was made of sugar-canes, which were likewise scarce at this time, and the toake was much inferior to what we had to the southward; it was strong enough however to make us a little gay and lively.

As soon as the week was expired I was determined to stay no longer, notwithstanding they importuned me very much, assuring them I would procure leave to come again in a short time: nor would I accept of a guide, since I knew the way. When I came to the seaside I espied a sail as I thought, though it proved nothing but a large canoe returning from sea, where the men had been fishing. I waited till they reached the shore, who seeing me white, though naked, came up to me, and a great deal of conversation passed between us, they being very inquisitive after my uncommon adventures. I gave them all the satisfaction I could, and inquired if there were any likelihood of a ship’s arrival. Before I took my leave they made me a present of as many fish as I could well carry with me. When I came home to my own house, I picked out four of the best, and went to wait on my mistresses, presenting them with two a piece. Deaan Trongha coming home soon after, was surprised to find fish there, and highly pleased that I was returned; but was so complaisant as not to suffer me to lick his feet. He had been all day in the plantations, pushing the work as forward as he could, that they might not want for provisions when they came back from the wars; for every body was busy and making preparations for it. He told me he had ordered one of his wives to make me a cap; such as we usually wore by way of distinction. I did not like the proposal, but there was no opposing it. He gave out to his wives and people that their intention was to invade deaan Morrochemek, a petty king in the adjacent mountains; this he did, for fear some of his people should desert and alarm the country of Merfaughla.

Upon my return home I found visiters in abundance, who flocked about me for the sake of my fish; but as it was a customary thing, and what I used to do myself, I could not take it amiss; so I shared them out as far as they would go.

I slept but this one night in peace and quietness; for next morning I was called up to attend the deaan, and carry his gun with me to the plantation. At that time he had no project of great importance in his head, but before noon a messenger came running in haste with the news, that an army of ten thousand Saccalauvors (our northern enemies) were at a town called Murnumbo, within ten or twelve hours’ march of us. Deaan Trongha was too impatient to hear the whole story, before he ordered his slaves to leave their work and go home; the hoes and spades were thrown aside, and the lances taken in hand, every man running home and making preparation for a march. Messengers were sent to Rer Befaugher, and all the other neighbouring lords to give their friendly assistance. Some of the principal men of each town were directed to stay at home, with a sufficient force to defend their families and cattle, in case Woozington should be at hand as he was before, in order to take the towns by surprise, while the fighting men were all engaged another way. I went home under the plausible view of whetting my lances, but with a resolution of being out of sight, and, if possible, forgotten; which succeeded to my wish, for they were soon on their march. When I was well assured that they were gone, I went in a violent hurry to the head lady’s house, asking for my master; and being informed he was gone, I pretended to be in a confusion, and in all the haste imaginable to follow him; but the women would not let me go; for they ordered the men, who were left as a guard, to stop me. At length, with much ado it may be supposed, I was prevailed on to stay, and sat down very contentedly amongst the women. Most of the town, nay, the very children were there; or round about the house. Their clamour, prayers, and cries for their husbands, and idle tattle about the war, were troublesome enough; but not so bad as running the risk of either life or limb, in fighting the quarrel of a people, for whom I had no manner of concern.

At night I had several young female visiters, who supped with me on carravances, of which my mistress had made me a present. Our conversation was innocent and pleasant, though some of my gay readers may perhaps imagine otherwise. But be that as it may I can assure them (to the shame of christianity) there are more modest women in proportion to the number of people here than in England; even such as would sooner part with their lives than yield to a man’s embraces, unless they were taken to wife according to the custom of the country; but such women as sailors find for their turn, are only slaves brought down to the seaside and dressed with beads and silk lambers, with no other view than to allure their gallants and get from them what they can, and though the gain they make of their prostitution is their master’s, yet most of them are generous enough to present them with part of the fine things they get from their cullies; but were these sailors to go up into the country, they would not find it an easy matter to procure a mistress. The conversation, however, I had with my young visiters, gave me some melancholy reflections in bringing to my remembrance the pleasure I formerly enjoyed in the company of my dear wife, whose beauty and conversation were in my opinion far superior to any of these.

During the men’s absence, we had little else to live on than tamarinds and ashes, a little milk only excepted; but in twelve days they returned, and were received with all the demonstrations of joy imaginable by the women. I went myself likewise with a good assurance to welcome them home. Deaan Trongha, indeed, rallied me a little about it; but his wife ingenuously confessing, that she hindered me from following him, I heard no more of it.

The account they gave of their expedition was, that a general belonging 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.