Before we entered the town, we made another halt, in order to divide the cattle among ourselves; the deaan had thirty, his brother ten, and each of the other principals one. He that had two slaves retained one of them, and delivered the other to his lord, and had a cow and calf in lieu of it. If two men got a slave between them, they had each of them a cow for it; even he who had taken no slave was to have a cow, provided the number would admit of it; if not, one was divided between two; and this is a general and an established law, with respect to the division of an enemy’s spoils.
Deaan Mevarrow told me I had but one slave, whereupon I alleged he had taken one away, and might have kept her, if he thought proper; but I perceived he was only in jest, for he gave me a cow and a calf as an equivalent for her; and generously enough offered me another cow and calf for my honey, but I modestly declined that favour; so he chose them for me himself out of the fattest of the herd. By this means I became rich at once, having two cows and two calves, and a handsome jorzerampeller; that is to say, a handsome girl.
No sooner were we come to the town, than the shells were blown, and all the women ran out to see whatwas the cause of it, not expecting our return in so short a time; but when they knew who we were, they ran back to their houses till we had made our triumphal entry, and deaan Mevarrow was seated; then his wife came out, and as it is the custom there, licked his feet, and after her, the rest of the women paid him the same homage; and after that, each of them testified her duty to her own husband in the same submissive manner. I thought, indeed, I had now a wife, and as fine a one as the best of them all; and that the next time we returned from such an expedition with the like success, I should have homage done me too. My mistress sent and desired to see my young spouse; I went along with her accordingly, and she would make her sit down on the same mat with herself, and could not refrain from tears, it having been her own case; whereupon she charged me to use her tenderly. I did not intend, I told her, to make a slave of her, but a walley, that is, a wife.
As I had a stock of honey in a neighbour’s hands, as also some carravances, and a sufficient quantity of milk, I made a very tolerable repast for my bride and myself; and mimicked matrimony so far as to take her by the hand, and assure her that I was willing to make her a constant and tender husband; and asked her, if she was equally willing to be a faithful and loving wife? to which she cheerfully consented. So we lay down together, and though we had no bride-men or bride-maids, or throwing of stockings, yet we were as happy as our circumstances would well admit of.
Some of my readers, perhaps, may wonder how I could be so passionately in love with a black woman; but as I had been several years in the country, and they were become natural to me, I think the wonder ceases. Besides, she was extremely handsome, of a middle stature, very straight, and exactly shaped; her features were regular, and her skin as soft, fine, and delicate as any lady’s in Great Britain. And to do the women there justice, all who are of any rank and well brought up, have the last good quality to boast of.There are uncleanly, coarse-skinned creatures, indeed, amongst the vulgar, as well as in Europe; but the women do not go naked as some of the Guinea negroes. Their dress is a lamber, much longer than that of the men’s, and reaches to their feet from their middle; above and under the lamber, they wear a kind of shift, which covers all the body to the neck, and short sleeves. This, for the generality, is made of cotton, and is of a dark colour; those of the better sort embellish it with beads, in a very neat manner, more especially on the back, where they are ranged in rows and cross one another; and as they are of different colours, they form a large double cross so like a union-flag, that one would imagine they copied after it.
Thus much as to a general detail of the person and habits of these women, though I shall not, indeed, give them the preference to our Europeans; yet I must ingenuously confess, that it is with pleasure I reflect on mine, and remember our parting with the utmost reluctance and concern. For as to their fidelity, duty, and submissive deportment to their husbands, goodnature, and agreeable conversation, so far as their little knowledge extends, I think the Europeans come far short of them. We white people entertain a very contemptible and mean idea of these blacks, and a high and partial one of ourselves: they, on the other hand, have an exalted opinion of our merit; and modestly imagine, that we are far superior to them in point of knowledge, arts, and sciences: and therein, doubtless, they are right; but if an impartial comparison were to be made of their good qualities, the black heathens would, in my opinion, excel the white christians. I presume the reader will readily allow, that the best character I could give myself, in order to recommend me to my wife’s mother, was, to assure her, as I did, that I had as tender a heart as any black whatever; for it must be acknowledged, though to our shame, that they treat one another with more humanity than we do. There are none miserable amongst them, if it be in the power of their neighbours to assist them.There love, tenderness, generosity, and moral honesty, too, are very conspicuous; and that not only just in this one country of Anterndroea, but throughout the whole island, and even in other places more than here. My master, deaan Mevarrow, indeed, may be produced as an exception to this general rule, on account of his stealing his neighbour’s cattle, I grant it; but it must be considered, that there are some men of bad principles in every country; he did it, it is true, against conscience, and stood self-convicted: for he knew what justice was, as well as any one, as appeared by his paying me my cow and calf in return for my honey; and in many other particulars. There is a wide distance between the capacities and virtues of some men; though it is with regret that I mention deaan Murnanzack’s name in the same page with Mevarrow’s; yet the peculiar vices of the latter are no objection to the national virtues of his country.
My reader will excuse this digression, I hope, when he recollects the only pleasure that alleviated the weight of my slavery while in Anterndroea. I looked after my master’s cattle indeed, as I did before; but then I had a few of my own, and an agreeable companion to spend my leisure hours with, who took care of my house; and as I had plenty of honey, I never was without toake, for my wife and I to enjoy ourselves with, and entertain a friend upon occasion. So that I lived as well as the best of my neighbours, and being now much less fatigued than formerly, I was capable of taking more notice of the religion and laws of the country: and as I propose to amuse the reader with a particular detail of one of their circumcision-feasts, it will not be improper to give first an account of that little religion which they professed.
They acknowledge, indeed, and adore the only one supreme God, whom they call deaan Unghorray, which signifies the Lord above. There are, according to their notion, four other sovereign lords, and that each superintends one quarter of the world. The northern lord is styled deaan Antemoor; the southern, deaan Meguddumdummateme;the western, deaan Androwfertraer; and the eastern, deaan Anabeleshey. This last, say they, dispenses plagues and calamities amongst mankind, by the command or permission at least, of the great God; the others also are subservient to his commands, but are chiefly dispensers of his favours and blessings. They look upon these four as mediators between men and the Supreme Being; on which account they have a peculiar regard for them, and in their prayers and sacrifices, recommend themselves to their indulgence and protection.
I have already given the reader some account of the owleys, by which they seem to entertain the same idea as some superstitious people in Europe formerly did of familiar spirits; because they employ them as their favourite messengers with their petitions and prayers to their great God; and, after a sacrifice, expect that they should come and tell in dreams what they have to do, and also to warn them of any approaching danger. This bears a great conformity to the idea, which some christians have entertained of guardian angels, or some old philosophers of a good or evil genius; or rather, is more exactly conformable to a very ancient, and long received notion of demons; and for that reason, as we have no other term so fit in our language, I choose to distinguish them by that; for the owley is no more than the general name of the utensil, or altar; which is rather like a talisman, or sigil, to which the demon is thought to be attached, and by which, as a proper medium, they expect to be invoked. For there are almost as many different demons with proper names, as there are persons who have owleys; some of which are, Ry-Leffu, Tompack-Offnarevo, Laka-petu, Deer-mefacher, Deer-hurzolavor, Ry-mungary, Ry-ove. Then they invoke likewise the spirits of their forefathers, and have a great veneration for them; calling upon them by names that are given them after their decease; insomuch that they look upon it as a crime to address them, or speak of them by the names they had when living; and this name is principally known by theword garevo at the end of it; as may be observed in the repetition of deaan Crindo’s and deaan Murnanzack’s fathers’ names by my mock retinue among the peasants.
The veneration they have for the memory of their ancestors, and the assurance they have of their spirits always existing, is apparent in almost every circumstance of the few religious ceremonies which they perform: the burial of their dead is very particular and solemn. I have frequently hinted at the great humanity with which they treat each other on all occasions, and under all difficulties of what nature or kind soever. In sickness they daily visit and contribute all that in them lies to the relief of the afflicted family, and the restoration of the patient. When any one is dead, all the relations and neighbours come to the house; the women make doleful lamentations, and the men assist in the necessary preparations for the funeral. In the first place, they pitch upon a tree for the coffin, after that, a cow or an ox is killed, and some of the blood sprinkled upon it: imploring at the same time their forefathers, and the demons, and demigods to aid and assist them, and take care that the tree does not split in the falling, or that any one be not hurt either by cutting or felling it. When the tree is down, they cut it about a foot longer than the corpse, and split it directly lengthways, (for they always make choice of a tree which they know will split after this manner,) and dig both parts hollow, like two troughs. It is then carried to the house, the corpse being in the mean time washed, and wrapped up in a lamber, or frequently in two and sewed together. There is frankincense, or a gum very much like it, burning all the time in the house. They seldom keep the corpse above one day, especially in hot weather. They put the corpse in the troughs closing them together, and carry it upon six men’s shoulders. Every family has a burying-place of their own, which no one dare infringe upon or break into; nor indeed does any one attempt it. This is enclosed, and fenced round with sticks, like palisadoes.When they come near the place, the corpse is set down, and then they proceed to the rest of the ceremony; that is, to make four fires, one at each corner on the outside of the burying-place; on these fires they burn the ox or cow, which was killed before for that purpose; then they divide it into quarters, which are all consumed in the flames: after this, they sprinkle frankincense upon the coals, and spread them all about. This being done, the chief or eldest of the family goes close to the entrance of the burying-place, and hollas aloud several times; after a short pause, he calls upon all the dead that are there deposited, commencing at the earliest, and proceeding to the last, and each one distinctly by his name; and in the conclusion tells them, that there is a grandchild, or near relation come to lie amongst them; and that he hopes they will receive him as a friend. Then the gate is opened, and two or three persons are sent in to dig the grave, which is made for the generality seven or eight feet deep; and the corpse is placed in it, and covered over with the earth without any further ceremony. None are permitted to enter here, but some of the nearest relations, and the bearers, and the door is immediately shut fast again. There is commonly a crowd of people without, who are busy in carving up, and dividing among themselves the cattle, that are distributed amongst them for that purpose, if it be a great and rich family that can afford it; but the poorer sort cannot gratify their friends in so bountiful a manner. They generally visit this burying-place once a year, to clear it from weeds and make it clean; but never enter it till they have first burnt a cow, or bullock before it.
I knew some who, during a friend’s sickness, would make a sacrifice and prayer here, to invoke the aid and assistance of the spirits of their forefathers; but this is not a very common custom. And if any man have any peculiar ceremonies of his own, which others do not think proper to put into practice, no person is offended, nor do they concern themselves about it; and the reason is, because there are no people here,who pretend to be greater favourites of the Supreme Being than other men, and to have a particular commission to interpret and declare his will. No one here has yet been so presumptuous as to attempt this; and if any one should be so hardy, he would meet with but few to credit him.
Every man here, the poor man as well as the rich lord, is a priest for himself and his family; and expects the demons should answer his requests in his dreams. If he differ from his neighbour in point of ceremony, as there is no damage given or received, so there is no hatred arises. But were they to set apart particular persons, and to give them a certain number of cattle and slaves every year, for the performance of some certain ceremonies, and instead of making their prayers to God for themselves, leave it to these to officiate for them, and prescribe rules and seasons to them, these very people would soon lord it over them. For they would terrify them with the anger of the great God, and demigods, and foment divisions among the people for the support of their interest, lest they should lose their substance and honours; and at last punish any innocent person for their insolent inventions, under a sanctified pretence of demons coming in the night from the Supreme Being, and enjoining them so to do. We had an instance how easily mankind might be imposed on by these pretenders to prophesy, in my master Mevarrow; and how artfully the imposition was carried on in one of our neighbours.
There was a person of distinction lived about two hours’ walk from us, called deaan Olaavor, whose father died whilst I was here; he was making preparations for his interment in the burying-place of his family; and the night before, he dreamed his father appeared to him. Or, according to his own expression, his father appeared to him in a dream, and earnestly desired him not to bury his corpse; but keep it in a sundock, or chest, and erect a little house for the reception of it.
This request he very dutifully complied with, buildinga house about three hundred yards from the town to the eastward, to which place he used frequently to resort, and make his prayers and oblations, and then pretended that the spirit of his father, which he called lulu-bay, or the great spirit, used to come and tell him strange things, which should occur to his neighbours. He frequently visited deaan Mevarrow, who gave the utmost attention to every thing he said; Olaavor perceiving his weakness, soon found out ways and means to turn the credulity of his friend to his own advantage: and when any troublesome time came on, he would industriously wait on Mevarrow, and inform him how angry his lulu-bay was, and what misfortunes he had just grounds to fear would attend him. Now whether, as he was an artful man, he conjectured rightly from the reason of things; or, whether he dreamed rightly (for sometimes, indeed, it happened as he said, and often otherwise) I shall not presume to determine; but his principal aim was (as it appeared to me) to get a heifer now and then for a pretended sacrifice, and frequently a present of some beads, and such other trinkets, for the pains he was at, using his best endeavours to appease the wrath of his lulu-bay, and procure his favour and assistance. The advantage he made of this was so conspicuous, that many people grew jealous of his conduct; but at length a brother of deaan Olaavor’s was killed in the wars, and his lulu-bay never came in a dream to warn either one or the other of the impending danger. This not only opened their eyes, but convinced a great many more; however an excuse was at hand. That his brother had been remiss and negligent in regard to his prayers and oblations to lulu-bay; and for that reason he suffered him to fall. Deaan Mevarrow, and some of the weakest of the people, swallowed the cheat, and still continued their superstitious opinion of this great spirit, and were afraid to speak, or entertain the least contemptible thought of it; having always the plea of mean spirited bigots, that they were safer who paid an awful regard to lulu-bay, than those who despised him. But be the case how itmay, if he were not a great and powerful spirit, either capable of injuring them, or doing them any good offices; if the whole were a mere fiction of deaan Olaavor’s, yet there was no harm in thinking he was so, or in paying him honours; but upon the supposition that he was really such a potent spirit, and they should neglect him, then they were sure to suffer severely for their contempt.
This was all the idle answer those poor timorous creatures would give, on their being asked a reason for their tame compliance with deaan Olaavor; which, doubtless, would have been as good a plea for their paying divine honours to a potato, had any one told him he had a revelation in his dream, that it was a demigod. The reader, I presume, may entertain a more adequate idea of the natural disposition of the people, with respect to their morals and religion, from such instances and occurrences, than from any formal description which I can pretend to make; I shall therefore pursue my history, and give a particular detail here of the feast and ceremony of the circumcision of deaan Mevarrow’s son.
The toake was made some weeks beforehand, by boiling the honey and combs together, as we in England make mead. They filled a great number of tubs; some as large as a butt, but some indeed smaller; a shed being built for that purpose, which was thatched over, to place them in. On the day appointed, messengers were despatched all round the country to invite the relations and friends. About three or four days before the ceremony of the circumcision was actually performed, you might see the beginning of a festival; people went about blowing horns, and beating drums both night and day; to whom some toake was given out of the lesser vessels as a small compensation for their trouble: deaan Mevarrow had procured two large oxen from deaan Murnanzack. They, who lived in the most remote parts, came a day or two before; and they were entertained with toake. In the evening, I found the town full of people, some wallowing on theground, and some staggering; scarcely one individual person sober, either men, women, or children. And here one might sensibly discern the effects of peace and security, the people abandoning themselves without fear or reserve to drinking, and all manner of diversions. My wife I found had been among them indeed; but had the prudence to withdraw in time, for she was fast asleep when I came home.
And now the day being come, I returned from feeding my cattle before noon, in order to bring up the two oxen and a bull, whose legs being at once tied fast, they were thrown all along upon the ground. The child was about a year old; for they have no stated time for the observance of this custom. He was decked with beads, and a skein of white cotton thread was wound about his head. A great crowd attended the festival. Some brought such presents as their abilities would admit, such as a cow, or a calf, beads, iron shovels, hatchets, and the like. Every one was served once only with a small quantity of toake in a calabash before the ceremony began. All things being now duly prepared, they waited for the signal from the umossee, who was all this time very busy, to all outward appearance, in measuring his shadow with his feet. When it came to the length of three and a half, he gave the word. Upon which, one of the nearest relations, who had the child in his arms, ran with him up to the bull, and putting the child’s right hand on the bull’s right horn, repeating the following form of words.
Tyhew deaan Unghorray, deaan Antemoor, deaan Anebeleshey, deaan Androfertraer, deaan Meguddumdummateme, an Ruey Owley, Heer-razehu, ittoey acquo toey Anomebay loyhe ittoey handrabeck enney raffa loyhe.
Which in English runs thus:—
Let the Great God above, the Lords of the four quarters of the world, and the demons prosper this child, and make a great man of him. May he prove as strong as this bull, and overcome all his enemies.
If the bull roar whilst the boy’s hand is on his horn,they look on it as an ill omen, portending either sickness, or some other misfortunes in life; and all the business of the umossee is nothing more than this:—to tell them what is the most unlucky hour or minute (like our strolling fortune-tellers) to do it in; for, as to the religious part of the ceremony, he is no ways concerned in it; if there be any religion intended by it, which is somewhat to be questioned; for any experienced man of the neighbourhood, whom they imagine understands it best, performs the operation by feeling for the head of the yard, and cutting off the fore-skin as closely as possible, two men holding the child’s legs and arms at the same time. As to the name, it is given long before, and frequently is changed afterwards; this child was named Ry-Mocker. After the fore-skin is cut off, an attendant having a stick in his hand like a gun rammer, the biggest end whereof is pointed, puts the fore-skin upon it, and going to the wood, throws it towards the east. The ceremony being over, the child is delivered to the mother, who is all this time sitting upon a mat with the women round her. And now their merriment began; the thatch was all pulled off the toake-house, and I was ordered to kill the bull and the oxen; but these not being sufficient, my master sent for three more which had been brought him by his friends, for there were abundance of mouths to be fed. Before they began to drink, he took particular care to secure all their weapons, and no man was permitted to have so much as a gun or a lance; and then they indulged themselves in boiling, broiling, and roasting of meat, drinking of toake, singing, hallooing, blowing of shells, and drumming, with all their might and main. I do not believe there were twenty sober persons among the whole company. These revels continued all night; some went away the next morning, but most stayed till evening, so that the feast lasted three days successively.
These people are great admirers of toake, and some of the vulgar sort, as arrant sots, and as lazy as any inEngland, for they will sell their guinea corn, carravances, nay, their very spades and shovels, and live upon what the woods afford them. Their very lambers too, if worth any thing, must go for toake; and they make an ordinary one serve turn, so it will but just cover their nakedness. It is made of the tree called the whooring, which they cut down with their lances. The outer bark is taken away, and the inner, which is white, is peeled off whole, and beat with a stick till it is made soft and pliant; and then they wear it as a lamber, but it can never be washed. Their lambers, however, for the generality, are made of cotton dyed in the yarn. The richer sort, indeed, and people of distinction, buy silk and calicoes at seaport towns, and often give a cow and a calf for no more than will make them one lamber. The men wear no other clothes, but they adorn themselves with mananelers, which are rings round their wrists; and these, both men and women of distinction, are very fond of. They are sometimes made of gold (but where they get them I cannot say), oftener of silver, but more frequently of copper; which, at last, I found was produced and made in the country, as well as iron. They dress their heads in a very agreeable manner, curling up their hair to make it lie close, for they have hair, and not wool on their heads, as the Guinea negroes; neither are their noses flat, though small, nor their lips so big as theirs, but their hair is always black, and for the generality, has a natural curl. Deaan Crindo’s family are particularly distinguished, on account of their long hair, and their copper-coloured skins. Notwithstanding they have no idea of letters, yet they have here very wholesome laws, which are fixed in their minds and handed down from generation to generation. I well remember many of them, the recapitulation whereof, I flatter myself, will be no disagreeable amusement to the reader.
If one maliciously assault his neighbour, and break a leg or an arm, the offender is fined fifteen head of cattle, which are delivered to the party injured.
If one break another’s head, and he that is wounded have not returned the blow, he has three beeves by way of damage.
If two men quarrel, and one happen to curse the other’s father or mother, whether they be living or dead, and his antagonist have so much command of himself as to refrain from cursing the other’s father or mother, he recovers two beeves as a compensation.
If a man be caught robbing his neighbour of an ox, or a cow, he is obliged to restore it tenfold; and this is executed too with the utmost rigour, notwithstanding my master frequently broke this good law; but, like other great men, in more polite parts, he was not to be curbed by the ordinary laws of his country; and yet he, as well as most others, found, to his cost, that there were those who could cope with him; and was at last convinced, that if a man will live amongst his fellow-creatures, he must be observant of the fundamental laws, which the community wherein he lives has framed for their mutual peace and tranquillity; without which, men are not sociable animals, but each one is a mere savage, and the world an uncultivated desert.
If any one be found guilty of stealing guinea corn, carravances, potatoes, or the like, out of any of the plantations, he forfeits a cow and a calf to the owner, or more, in some measure proportionate to the offence.
In case one man’s cattle break into another’s plantation, the owner, for every beast found there, must give an iron shovel.
If any one steal another man’s hive of honey, and be caught, the fine is three iron shovels. These iron shovels, hoes, &c., are a kind of small money with these people, for here is no trade but by barter, or the exchange of one commodity for another; and, therefore, they are as exact as they possibly can be, in proportioning the value of one thing to another.
If a man borrow an ox, or a cow, of his neighbour, and does not return it in a year’s time, six calves are looked upon as an equivalent for the ox; and if he neglect payment at that time, those calves are supposedto be three steers, and three heifers; and the increase, which by a fair computation arises by their growth and production, is the man’s right of whom the ox was borrowed; and if it go on for ten years, or any longer term, it is computed what three bulls and three cows might have produced in that space of time, and all that produce is due to the creditor.
If a man lie with the wife of another man who is his superior, he forfeits thirty head of cattle, besides beads and shovels in abundance; but if the men are of equal degree, then the fine is twenty beasts only.[1]In this country of Anterndroea, they are not addicted to such a plurality of wives as in some other parts of the island. If a man have but two wives here, and his brother or an intimate friend come to visit him, he never scruples to let him lie with one of them.
1. A man can put away his wife at pleasure.
1. A man can put away his wife at pleasure.
The nearest of kin, even brother and sister, marry, if they have not the same mother.
One brother, after the decease of another, often takes his wife; nay, his father’s too, and lies with them, if they be not their own mothers.
To lie with one of the king’s or prince’s wives, is death by the established laws.
My master Mevarrow was jealous of a young man’s being great with his wife, or, as he said, was well assured he used to lie with her. Whether he had any just grounds for such a suspicion, I cannot say; yet every body expected the young man would be killed for it; but his brother being a chief man, and a favourite of the deaan’s, and the civil wars coming on, he seemed at that juncture to take little notice of it; but two years after the offence, when those dissensions were appeased, the man being constantly in his view, he determined to punish him; and, accordingly, when the young man, his brother, and some few slaves of us that attended them, were in the woods, it being so contrived, under pretence of stealing and killing a cow, he and deaan Sambo drew the young man into a remotepart of the woods, at a considerable distance from us, and in a short time we heard him halloo three times, at which instant deaan Mevarrow arose, and pretending to stretch himself with his lance in his hand, he struck the young man’s brother through the body. This so surprised us all, that some of us ran one way, and some flew another, imagining our master mad; and some went home and positively asserted it as fact, this person whom he killed not being the adulterer. He had been our master’s counsel-keeper, it is true, and knew all the secret recesses of the women and cattle; and taking it for granted that he would turn his enemy and revenge his brother’s death, thought it most advisable to despatch him likewise. Deaan Sambo killed the supposed adulterer that moment the halloo was made, which was the signal agreed on between them; but whether he was apprized of deaan Mevarrow’s wicked design upon the other, I cannot determine, for there were several others whom he brought there, as if he intended they should be witnesses of it. As deaan Sambo was the executioner, I was inclined to think there was more than suspicion, for that he was no cruel man, I was very sensible, by experience. I must own I had entertained a very favourable opinion before of my mistress, as I had never observed any thing like it in her conduct; but I had now almost done, not only with this family, but the country likewise; for every circumstance in my affairs had some tendency to promote my departure and escape, which, at length, I effected.
Not long after this, it happened, whilst I stole out to visit my own plantation (my corn, &c., being near ripe) that some of my cattle broke into the plantation of a principal man, and did him some considerable damage. My fellow-slaves soon informed me of the misfortune, and went to seek the beasts; but they were driven home by the planter’s servants with very heavy complaints: I knew the danger of going within reach, or, indeed, within sight of my master; and therefore turned aside into the wood, to consider what measures were best to betaken. At length, I recollected the friendship between deaan Olaavor and deaan Mevarrow: and for that reason went directly to him, and laid my unhappy case before him, and begged he would use his best endeavours to reconcile me to my master. He readily complied with my request, made me very welcome, and desired me to stay, not only that night, but the next day and night too; and then assured me, that he would go with me himself; but business would not permit him to go before. By this means I was absent long enough to alarm them, and give them just grounds to suspect that I had deserted. Deaan Olaavor, however, went with me according to his promise, and after he had expostulated the case with my master, and obtained pardon, I was sent for in, and restored to favour, with only some friendly admonitions for my better conduct for the future. As soon as their conversation relating to my fault and pardon was over, they fell into discourse on other matters; and deaan Mevarrow put his hand to his mouth, which is an action they frequently use to express their surprise at any thing more than common.
Deaan Olaavor, says he, I sent yesterday for an umossee, to consult with him about Robin, and to know what was become of him. After he had conjured a long time, he assured me, that I should see Robin once more; but the next time he went away, I should never see him again in the capacity of his servant or slave; for he will have a new master to the northward, with whom he will tarry but a short time; and then he will still go farther northward and have more masters; till, at length, he will return to his native country. I listened, I own, not only with attention, but pleasure, to what he said, though I put no great confidence in these fortune-tellers. Just as I was getting up to go home to my wife, my master called me; stay, says he, I have something to say to you before you go. Perceiving that I looked a little startled and surprised; I shall do you no harm, says he, only secure you. The umossee was sent for immediately, and then I foundthey were going to enchant me (as they imagined) that I should not run away. I had seen this magical farce acted before upon such slaves as they are jealous of, frequently forcing an oath upon them by the demon Fermonner. And when these poor wretches have afterwards attempted to fly, and bewildered themselves in woods and unfrequented paths, or hurt themselves by any fall, or any common accident, they are weak enough to imagine that the demon Fermonner was the cause; that he confounded them, and dazzled their eyes in such a manner that they should not find their way. Two or three instances of this kind in an age, are enough to make fools give credit to the whole.
At length the wrinkled old wizard enters with solemn pace, and with a leering sneer in his haggard countenance, shakes his projecting noddle: Ha! Well I see you have him fast. I told you so. Who is he that shall presume to despise my prophetic spirit? You see as much is proved true, as the time will permit. Neglect my advice for the future; and look to the northward for your slave. But you may look, and send too in vain; it will be then too late. The spirits who are at my command may do somewhat now. What (says deaan Olaavor, who was not so great a bigot as deaan Mevarrow, notwithstanding his lulu-bay) has proved true? Robin never ran away at all, he would have been here yesterday, if I could have spared time; so that there is nothing at all in what you talk of. Pray, venerable sage, says deaan Mevarrow, (interrupting Olaavor,) pray proceed; I sent for you on purpose to take your advice. Prepare your charms. Away goes the fumbling old fool to work, scraping a root, and mixing several ingredients together, which, I was well satisfied, had neither good nor harm in them; (for I was afraid of nothing but his nose dropping into it;) muttering all the time, between his few broken teeth, words that neither he, nor any one else knew the meaning of. When the dose was prepared, he called it the fermonner, and put it into some carravances, which were boiled on purpose, and it was given me in a calabash. Butbefore I took it, he hung several roots about me; one over my eyes, another at my back, one upon my breast, and one upon each leg, giving each of them a distinct name: then scraping a small quantity from each of them, and putting it into the mess of carravances, I was ordered to eat it, which I did without the least fear or reluctance; in the mean time he pronounced his curses, as well as prayers over me. Whenever (says he) he thinks of running away, remember, O thou, deaan Fermonner, how he has eaten what belongs to thee; and also, O ye, &c. [Here he named all the spirits belonging to other charmed roots.] how he has eaten what belongs to you; and if he offer to run away, arise in his stomach, O deaan Fermonner, and make him so sick that he shall be incapable of stirring. And ye, which have hung at his back break it asunder; let his breast be tormented with pain, and his legs fettered as with parra-pingos; and if he attempt to fly, join all your united forces, and break his legs whenever he jumps and steps over any thing that lies in his way. Thus the old dotard went on for a long time, but in a more abrupt manner, and without any method. He tossed his hands about, and changed his voice almost every minute. He made, in short, a hundred impertinent repetitions and cant words of his own invention, and foamed like a fanatical enthusiast. When he had quite tired himself with preaching, he took off the charm and made me lick every individual root. Now let him go, says he, where he will; the demons which regard these charms will soon inform me where he is, and I shall acquaint his master.
I had a holiday that day; for my master was in a good humour, being highly delighted with what he had done; and sent a proper servant to do my business. When I came home, I found my wife in a very melancholy posture, being under great concern for fear I should be killed. She would have provided something for me to eat, but I had dined, I told her; and then related to her the whole affair. She was overjoyed to find I got off so well, and was surprised that I shouldbe so dull at it; since she knew well enough I did not regard any of these ceremonies, and made a jest of them; but my thoughts were quite otherwise engaged than she was aware of, and I did not think proper to let her know the truth; which broke my rest to that degree, that I scarcely ever slept soundly there any more. I found myself now under the necessity of running away at all adventures. For should sickness, or any common accident attend me, so great was deaan Mevarrow’s superstition, that he would, doubtless, have thought it had been effected by these demons or spirits, which were invoked in this incantation; and have taken it for an infallible testimony of my resolution to go from him; and then, very probably, in his passion he might have killed me. So that these conjurations, which Mevarrow depended on to prevent my departure, had the direct contrary effect, and was the strongest motive that could have induced me to it, and made it absolutely necessary that it should be so; yet I have often smiled to think how unexpectedly true his prediction or guess proved, even in all its circumstances.
Whilst my head was full of projects in order to accomplish my flight, I could not forbear saying something in relation to it to a very civil, honest young fellow, who kept cattle always near me; and was a captive from another country. One day I asked him, from whence he came? and he said from the northward. Was I so near my own country, said I, as you are, I would not stay much longer in slavery. Nor would I, said he, if it were not for the demons; who I am afraid will break my bones, ever since the umossee cursed me in the same solemn manner as he did you. At which I laughed. Why, if you have no apprehensions on that account, said he, you may get away with as much ease as I. At this I started, and told him, I suppose he only said so to try me. But he offered to enter into a solemn oath before the owley, that he meant as he said, and would assist me in my flight.
However, I dropt the argument for that day, but I tried him next; for after I had sworn him in a religiousmanner (knowing him to be like most people, more religiously inclined under misfortunes than in prosperity) I confessed ingenuously my secret intention, and asked his friendly advice. You have nothing to do, said he, but to fly directly to deaan Afferrer, who will protect you, and treat you in a courteous manner. When Rer Vovvern’s army comes next summer, continued he, you may easily get to them; who would be proud to oblige the white men, by sending you home in the first ship which arrives at Feraignher. For nobody, says he, in the whole island will make a white man a slave, or keep him against his inclination, but these people. So that if you can but fly from hence, you will soon get to some town where ships come. I returned him many thanks for his kind advice, and told him I would show him my beehives, and the roots of which the charm was made. This I did with a view to make him keep the secret. And now,
I had but one hard task more to go through, and that was to prevail on my wife to accompany me, or let me conduct her to her father. It was a difficult point to break my mind to her; but at length observing her in a humour to talk of her friends, and wish she could see them, I told her, if she had courage enough, and would keep the secret, and always love me, I would venture to carry her to them, and stay with her; but she was superstitious too, and afraid I should be hurt by the incantations of the umossee. So that I pressed it no farther. But to part with her, and leave her not only in bondage, but to be ill-treated, perhaps on my account, was a mortifying consideration; for I sincerely loved her.
However, there was an absolute necessity; my resolution was fixed, and no time was to be lost. It was then wet and rainy, and I stayed only till the weather was more favourable; which was about a fortnight. Near which time I took my comrade into the woods, and showed him my hives, and the manner how I dug the roots for the charms; for to attempt to undeceive him would have been to no purpose. The night beforeI took my flight, I wilfully left a heifer in the field; having told my friend when I called, and desired him to look after my cattle whilst I went after the heifer, that should be the private signal of my departure. He told me it was two days’ long walk to Yong-gorvo; but I said I would run it in one, and did not question but that I should get safely thither, (though my master should send after me,) if I were but two hours before them. When I came home with my cattle, my master took a survey of them, and missed the heifer; but after reprimanding me a little, he ordered me to get up betimes in the morning, and look for it, before it broke into any neighbour’s plantation.
This was what I aimed at, in order to have the whole day before me; but now came the hardest struggle, which was to take a last farewell of my wife. It was some secret satisfaction, however, that I had no child by her. I was almost afraid to reveal the secret to her: but at length, after making her swear in the most solemn manner by the owley, that she would never disclose it, I told her in direct terms that I was going; and the only thing that disturbed me, was parting with her. She begged, and cried most bitterly; but there was no staying for me any longer, my life being every day in danger. Had I been in any other part of the country, where I could have lived with freedom, ease, and safety, I don’t know what effects the unaffected love I had for her might have produced. At length, however, she was somewhat appeased, and I broke from her arms by break of day; but with what sorrow and reluctance, such of my readers as are tender lovers, can better imagine than I describe. I drove my cattle into the field, where my comrade was ready; I did not go near him for fear of being observed; but called, and bid him take care of my cattle: he said yes, yes, and away I walked, or rather ran; for by the time the sun was two hours high, I had got beyond the first woods, which is not less than ten English miles, if it could be measured.
I had now a large plain of five or six miles to goover, here I looked back every now and then, for fear of being pursued; but saw the coast was clear. My wife and friend, as I was informed afterwards, were true to the trust reposed in them. About noon, I came to a pond, where I just washed and refreshed myself, and kept jogging on till at last I espied the white cliff of Yong-gorvo. It is very high, and appeared like land that is seen about seven or eight leagues at sea; that however did not discourage me, and two hours before night I was at the foot of it. It is half an hour’s brisk walk to go up the hill to deaan Afferrer’s town, where I arrived safely, and went directly to him. He thought as soon as he saw me, that I came with some message from deaan Mevarrow, but I threw myself immediately at his feet, and begged his indulgence and protection; then I informed him of all the miseries I had undergone through my master’s cruel treatment of me, and the apparent danger my life was in every day, and at that time more than ever.
No sooner was he convinced of the true reason of my making thus my earnest application to him, than I perceived a pleasure glowing in his countenance; and he at once assured me, that he would protect me at all adventures, and that I should be a slave no longer; that I should do nothing but go with him wherever he went: and as a testimony of his sincerity, he would present me with a gun. Now carrying a gun here, like wearing a sword in England, is the mark of a gentleman; with this lance in your hand, said he smiling, you look like a mall-a-cross, which is a nickname they give to one of the meanest of their natives; you shall now appear like what you are, a free-born man. I licked his feet with all the satisfaction imaginable, in conformity to the custom there, and returned him a thousand thanks; nor did I forget my grateful acknowledgments to the Divine Goodness, who had thus far given success to my honest endeavours, to recover my former state of freedom; and to implore his assistance in the completion of so happy a project, which I had no hopes of ever putting into execution.
When I assured them that I came from my own house in one day, there was scarcely any one would give credit to the assertion. About a week or two after, two messengers from deaan Mevarrow came to demand his white slave; and to reproach deaan Afferrer, for not sending me back by some of his own people on my first arrival. This imperious message made him smile: send him back, says he, and by my own people! and his white slave too! why, no one ever saw a white slave before; nor has he the least authority to make him one. I look upon him as a distressed man, fled to me for succour, and he shall never be exposed to misery any more. I shall make no slave of him; he shall be at his free liberty to stay with me, or go where, or whenever he sees convenient. He here expatiated on the conduct of our people, with regard to deaan Crindo; which being much to the same purpose as has been hinted before, I shall not recapitulate.
In short, he convinced the two men of the unreasonableness of their master’s demand so far, that they excused themselves, and said, that they only came with a message. And I only tell you, says he, what answer to return to deaan Mevarrow. After this, he entered into familiar discourse with them, and asked them, what day I came away? When they told him he was perfectly surprised, and so were they to find I had actually walked it in one day; for it could not be much less than sixty English miles. I could not forbear rallying them, on account of their superstitious confidence in their umossees. See, says I, how my legs are swelled! how the spirits have made my bones rattle within my skin! I was a white man they said, and they had no power over me. As soon as deaan Afferrer had ordered them a house and provisions, and I had made some inquiry after my wife, which proving more to my satisfaction than I expected, I took my leave of them with pleasure; for I had some doubt before, what might be the effect of such a peremptory demand from deaan Mevarrow.
And now I lived, I must confess, with more freedomthan ever I had done as yet; for I walked about with my gun upon my shoulder. When the deaan was disposed to eat, I ate with him; though not in the same dish, indeed, for no one here has that privilege. I had little else to do, than to go with him a hunting; by which means I made myself expert in all the arts of taking wild cattle. My principal business was to observe the situation of the country, and to inquire the route which Ry-Nanno was expected to take.
I was fond of going often a hunting, in order to take particular notice of the most remarkable mountains, which might hereafter be as so many landmarks to me. Besides vohitch futey, or white hill, here is another high mountain more to the northward, called vohitch manner, or red hill. It is in form of a cone, or sugar-loaf, and runs spiring up a great height; the inhabitants are of opinion, that it is the highest in the whole world. After I had lived in this manner six months, Ry-Nanno met me by accident in the forest, as he was coming to give deaan Crindo, and the other lords, intelligence of the Feraignher army being upon their march. This was such agreeable news to me, that I was at a loss how to conceal my joy; and for that reason I walked into the woods, for fear they should discover my inclinations by my deportment. I attempted to return my humble and hearty thanks to the Almighty in my native tongue, for the fair prospect I had of getting to a seaport town; but found I had forgotten my English, and could scarcely with propriety put three words together. However, the Madagascar language served me well enough to express the sentiments of my heart.
Deaan Afferrer told me as soon as I came home, that he had seen Ry-Nanno; that Rer Vovvern was dead, and that his son deaan Mernaugha now succeeded him; and that his nephew deaan Trongha, assisted by his brother Rer Befaugher, and deaan Mernaugha’s brother Rer Mundrosser, commanded the army. As I was conversing with the deaan, I could not help expressing my sorrow for Rer Vovvern’sdeath; because he was so faithful a friend to all white men. I found he suspected my design immediately, for he told me, though in a very courteous manner, that he hoped I had no temptation to change my place of abode through his treatment of me. To which I replied, after thanking him for all his favours, that I had no thought of removing from my habitation; that I was conscious to myself that I lived as well, or better than I could do in any other place. And, indeed, this was really fact, for he treated me with the utmost humanity and complaisance. I eat and drank as he did, and did no manner of work; but I perceived by this, he was not inclined to part with me. For which reason, I was under a necessity to be more close and artful, than I should have been had I made such a discovery.
Orders were sent to the three towns under deaan Afferrer’s command, that instead of hunting the wild cattle, they should make proper preparations for hunting the wild boar; by which they meant the king of Merfaughla. Whereupon, all hands were instantly at work, cleaning and fitting up their arms; for there are artificers here, who can make or mend a spring, and do twenty other things to guns as well as lances. The women employed themselves in making caps, to distinguish us in the wars; these were made of the same materials as our mats. The children beat Guinea corn in order to carry with us. I made it my business to put deaan Afferrer’s and my own gun in order; and to cast a considerable quantity of shot or rather slugs, by making a hole with a round stick in a lump of clay, to cast the lead in; and cutting it afterwards into little pieces about half an inch long. Though they frequently buy shot at the seaports, yet this was made, as I imagine, of the lead which they had procured from the wreck of our ship.
Ry-Nanno went back, after he had given notice of the Feraignher army’s march to deaan Trongha, in order to meet him at vohitch manner, according to appointment. Deaan Crindo sent orders that weshould march, and meet him at the river, where we watered our cattle, in deaan Murnanzack’s country. I might have stayed at home, if I had thought proper; but I was resolved at all adventures to go with them, though I told deaan Afferrer, I was under some apprehensions of my old master Mevarrow, whom, I concluded, I should see there. But he bid me be under no concern on that account, for he would protect me; and deaan Mevarrow, he was well assured, would make no disturbance in the army. However, it happened better than I expected, for Mevarrow was left behind sick of the colah; which, in Guinea, or the West Indies, is called the yaws. It is a cruel distemper, and bears a near resemblance to the venereal disease, affects the bones and joints with great pain and soreness, breaks out all over in blotches and dry scabs, and is mostly in the privy parts, and under the arm-pits. However, it is not actually that complaint; for I have known children of three or four years old have it, whose parents never knew by experience what it was. There are but few who escape it once in their lifetime, but then they never have it more. In that respect, it is like the small pox, or the itch; and caught also as they are. If a person, who never had it, follow one infected in the long grass or bushes, if he lie or sit on the same mat, or even eat and drink after the diseased person, he most assuredly catches it. For which reason they send their children, when afflicted with it, out to nurse, to such persons as live alone in remote places; and when a man, woman, or a whole family is taken with it, they oblige them to go into the woods, and tarry there till they are perfectly recovered; which is frequently a whole year, and sometimes two.
It was good news to me to hear that deaan Mevarrow was left at home infected with this distemper, and that deaan Sambo had the command of the people in his stead; for I knew, by experience, that he was none of my enemy, though he demanded me in his brother’s name upon his first arrival; but when deaan Afferrer had expostulated the case with him, and told him whatanswer he had returned him by the messengers; when he urged, that it was natural for a man to fly for his life, who was every day in danger, and treated like a brute, had he been a lawful slave, which was not the case here, deaan Sambo gave up the argument, and turning to me, asked if he had not several times saved me? I readily owned the obligation. Do not be afraid, said he, for I shall not insist on my demand any more; but pray come often and see me as a friend. I gratefully acknowledged all his favours, and particularly thanked him for this last signal one, for he confirmed the account I had given of myself before.
As deaan Crindo had intelligence of the day the Feraingher army was to join them, he put himself in a posture to receive them with abundance of form and ceremony. He was seated under a great tamarind tree, with his sons according to their seniority on his right hand, and all their people; on his left were deaan Murnanzack and his brethren, with all their people. The whole assembly formed a line of above a quarter of a mile in length. After a short time, the Feraingher army appeared, and as they advanced, they came dancing, each with a gun in his left hand, and a lance in his right, their shells sounding, and their drums beating. At a small distance they fired some pieces by way of salutation, which we immediately returned; and now the three generals, deaan Trongha, Rer Befaugher, and Rer Mondrosser, went up to deaan Crindo and the rest. After the usual salutations, they were all seated under the tamarind tree, and ten calabashes of toake were sent for by deaan Crindo to entertain them. I sat all this time behind deaan Afferrer, with his gun in my hand. After mutual assurances of an inviolable friendship, the division of the prices of cattle was settled and adjusted. Deaan Crindo and his sons were to have one third; deaan Murnanzack and his brethren another; and deaan Trongha and his brother and cousin the remainder.
After they had amicably concluded their own affairs, and begun to be gay over their toake, says deaan Trongha,you have got a white man amongst you, I perceive. Yes, says deaan Crindo, this is one of those who took me and my nephew prisoners, and would have delivered us into deaan Tuley-Noro’s hands, who was our adversary. I don’t think, says deaan Trongha, they would have done you any harm; you must doubtless have given them some provocation first. I did them no injury, replied the other, as I know of, unless maintaining them well was doing them injustice. They were inclined, indeed, to go to Antenosa, and I would rather have detained them to assist me in the wars; and was not this, says deaan Trongha, a manifest injury, and a just provocation, to keep free men against their wills in a country far from their native homes. I’ll tell you, however, a very remarkable transaction of my grandfather’s with these white men, before he was rightly acquainted with them.
An English ship came to our seaport town, which they call St. Augustine-bay, in order to buy provisions and furnish themselves with water. They did not go up to my grandfather’s town, but he thought proper to visit them, and made the captain a voluntary present of two oxen; and the captain as voluntarily gave him a gun, and some powder and shot, as a compensation. The whites built themselves a house upon the shore, for the reception of their sick men. Some few days after we had been here, the white men and some of ours got in liquor together, and a quarrel arose amongst them. At first, indeed, they only beat one another with their fists; but at length, they made use of weapons, and a white man was killed upon the spot by one of ours. The news being carried immediately to the ship, the captain came on shore, and after a strict inquiry into the matter, he laid hold of the king whilst his people ran to the boat and fetched their arms. My father and Rer Vovvern instantly placed themselves at the head of our people, and would have attacked them, but my grandfather prevented them, for he was morally assured of being killed by one side or the other, so he went contentedly on board their ship. The fishermenwere under no apprehensions of danger from the whites notwithstanding this disturbance, for they knew them; and, besides, were well acquainted with their manners; so they went on board, and asked what the captain’s demands were of the king? He said satisfaction for the loss of his white man. They returned, and in the name of the king’s two sons, asked what satisfaction he required? The captain insisted on their sending him the man who killed the Englishman and ten oxen as an equivalent. The fishermen had no more wit than to deliver their message in the hearing of the murderer; whereupon, he fled directly into the woods, so that when they sent to secure him, he was not to be found. The fishermen returned to the captain, and assured him that they had made strict search for the criminal, but could not find him; however, if he would be contented with a slave or two in his stead, or with twenty oxen, they were willing to give him them. At this the captain was very angry, and peremptorily insisted on their producing the same man; for he had murdered his man in a most barbarous manner, and unless they found him, he would keep their father; but, notwithstanding, he would allow them ten days’ time to make their farther search for him.
During all that interval, my grandfather’s legs were loaded with irons, in order to prevent his making his escape; however, he eat and drank with the captain all the ten days’ time, and was treated in a very courteous manner. When the term granted was expired, and the captain was fully satisfied they had done all they could to find out the murderer, though to no purpose, he took the irons off the king’s legs, and asked him if he would enter into a solemn oath, never from that hour to do any act of injustice to an Englishman, or suffer any of his people to do it, if he could possibly prevent it. To which my father readily consented. When he had dined with the captain, they came on shore together. What! says deaan Crindo, do you and your family eat with white men? Yes, says deaan Trongha, we Andry Voler, for that is the surname of the family, not onlyeat out of the same dish, but drink out of the same cup too, and look upon them as a part of our own family. We never attempted to assume any authority over them; they come when they please, and go where they please with us; and if any idle fellows do what they ought not to do, their captain never hinders their being punished. These white men are very advantageous to us, and they would not come amongst us, if we did not treat them with civility; besides, our grandfather has laid us all under a solemn oath, with a curse annexed to all our posterity, who shall treat an Englishman with severity; for, as soon as he and the captain came on shore, the owley was brought out, and they entered into a solemn and perpetual friendship, which all of us strictly observe, and imagine that God will not prosper us should we break it.
My grandfather hereupon gave the captain twenty oxen, which, though he received, he would return an equivalent in guns and other things; and had we this white man amongst us, we should give him such clothes as his countrymen have left who died there. He will never wear any of his own country clothes again, says deaan Crindo, I believe. Better you were hanged, thought I, though I durst not say so.
The next day we marched to the borders of Merfaughla, and there encamped. I lay always in deaan Afferrer’s tent. The next morning, however, we shifted our quarters and marched a great way into the country towards Manner-ronder, a small river passing through several small towns, but found the inhabitants had abandoned them, and from the dung of the cattle, which was very dry, we judged they had been gone about a fortnight; for Woozington was a politic man, and would leave nothing for us to subsist on; neither would he weaken his army by fruitless skirmishes and unnecessary attempts, but wait till he was fully apprized of our strength by his spies, and had collected all the force he could to oppose us. A man came to me from deaan Trongha, and told me privately that his master desired to speak with me, to which I answered, I wouldwait on him, as soon as I could possibly contrive to come without being observed. Accordingly, in about two or three days, I found a proper opportunity, and told deaan Afferrer I was going to see deaan Sambo. You need not ask me leave, said he, but don’t go any where else; by which I knew his meaning, and found he was jealous of me. However, I returned, and by private ways, and in the dark got to deaan Trongha’s tent, where was a numerous assembly. He spoke to me in English, and asked me how I did? I was obliged to answer him in the Madagascar language, for I had forgotten I told him my mother tongue. This, and my being naked withal, moved his compassion to that degree, that he spoke as indulgent things to me as my own father could; and assured me, that if he could find any means to take me with him, he would send me home in the first ship. Whilst we were talking, Rer Befaugher came in, who shaking me by the hand, said, Brother, how do you do? I answered very well, but could speak no more English, without a mixture of this country language. They informed me that there had lately been some English men of war in quest of pirates; and that they had directed them to St. Mary’s, and Mattatanna, which are situate on the other side of the island; and that there was but one white amongst them, and he a Dutchman; and moreover, that an Englishman had been killed not long since in the wars. I told him I was determined, at all adventures, to escape and follow them, but they said they would purchase me, though they gave six slaves for me. After thanks for so courteous a promise, and a mutual agreement not to take any public notice of each other, I took my leave of them and went to deaan Sambo’s tent, who also treated me in a very handsome manner. He told me he was going to live by himself, and asked me if I would come to him? and I promised him I would. I took my leave and returned to our tent. The next morning we held a consultation, in which it was determined to throw the army into three divisions and march abreast; but at a quarter of a mile distance fromone another. We saw nobody all this time, till we were near the capital town, and then we perceived their spies that observed us, but the inhabitants were all fled. We passed the river Manner-ronder, and encamped upon the plain; we had not been long there before three men called to our people, and desired them to acquaint deaan Crindo that deaan Woozington proposed to pay him a visit next morning. Now he was an artful man, and full of stratagems, so they knew he would endeavour to surprise or overreach them. Upon which, we went hard to work to fortify the camp, which was thrown in a circular form. We cut down several trees and set up forked limbs; the spaces were filled with great pieces of wood, piled one upon another lengthways, at least four feet high, and as they joined close, they made a wall of it. In the next place, we dug the ground about a foot deep, and about seven feet wide, and threw up the earth against the wooden pile to make the wall still stronger; we left only two narrow entrances. The loose small boughs, with the leaves, were thrown carelessly, as it were, without side to hide the fortifications, so that it looked like nothing but a common method they observed, in order to conceal their numbers. When our camp was made secure, some few cattle were killed and we all went to supper, and then laid us down under our tent clothes, for we did not set our tents up, neither did we pull off our lambers, but lay close under the fortifications, prepared for an attack; the slaves that carried the provision were planted in the center.
We arose by break of day, putting our guns through little holes which we had left in our wall on purpose, and kneeled to fight with the more ease, and to take the better aim. We had not been in readiness above ten minutes before we saw them coming down with fury upon us. Whilst we were preparing to receive them, another party appeared on the contrary side, and proposed to have come upon our backs, but as we were in a circle we were all front. Our shells were immediately sounded, and our drums beaten, but we soonaltered this for another kind of noise. When they came within thirty yards of us, they fired briskly, still approaching, and having no notion of our wall, expected we should soon retreat from behind the boughs. I observed their eyes red with smoking jermaughla, which made them more resolute than usual. Of this I shall give a particular description after the account of the engagement. Ry-Opheck, with a body of men, attacked one of our entrances; he came skipping along, his eyes glowed like fire; he had a lance in one hand, and a gun in the other; his people ran after him in so furious a manner, that Trodaughe and his people, who should have defended the passage, gave way. We were employed on our side, and knew nothing of it till he had got within our camp; at which time one of our chief men turning about and seeing Ry-Opheck stabbing our men, fired at him, and shot him in the belly. When he found himself wounded, he retreated, and fell about thirty or forty yards from the place: his people, instead of revenging his cause, turned backward when he did. How common men will sometimes mimic a general’s behaviour! But when they saw him fall, they returned to bring off his body, and this brought on a warm engagement in the open field; for deaan Afferrer jumped over the works, and most of us, who were his people, after him, and forced them to retreat. Here one, who was distinguished from the rest by his yellow complexion, and who seemed of superior rank, took aim at me, but luckily missing me, I wounded him in the thigh and ran up to him. I found his hand was full of powder, in order to charge again, and he threatened me hard, but I snatched his lance from him, and prevented him from either doing me any farther mischief, or hurting any body else. Another such push on the contrary side so totally defeated the enemy, that they flew for it; and we pursued them, but not indeed very far; because we were unwilling to divide ourselves, lest Woozington should have turned and taken the advantage of our confusion, which he certainly would have done, had an opportunity offered.
When we returned to our camp, the deaans all assembled at deaan Crindo’s tent, who took notice of each individual man according to his merit, returning them thanks for their courage and conduct. He next made inquiry what men were lost on our side, and found no more than sixteen killed, and thirteen wounded. After that he sent out to number the dead bodies of the enemy, and found the total amounted to one hundred and seventy-five; among whom were sixteen persons of distinction; two of Woozington’s younger sons, Metorolahatch and Rer Fungenzer; his nephews, Ry-Opheck and Rer Chula; the names of the rest I never heard. Deaan Crindo gave orders that the bodies of these sixteen great men should be cut to pieces and scattered about the field, that their friends might not bury them. Two or three days afterwards we marched farther into Merfaughla, plundering and spoiling all their plantations.
As these people are more addicted to smoke jermaughla than any others, it will be proper to give a description of it here. It is a plant that grows about five feet high, and bears a small long leaf with a cod, which contains about a dozen seeds like hempseed. These leaves and seeds are mingled together, and laid in the sun for three or four days successively, till they are very dry, and so prepared, are fit to be smoked. Their pipes are made of reeds, or rather small canes. Sometimes they make use of a very long shell, which answers the end proposed. The quality of it is such that it makes them drunk; their eyes look red and fiery, and their looks fierce and savage. It is easy to know a man who smokes jermaughla; whilst the effects last, they are more vigorous and resolute, acting as it were like madmen. Those who are too much addicted to it are good for nothing but during the time they are intoxicated with it. My curiosity led me once to smoke a little myself; but it made my head so giddy, that I was drunk, as it were, for three days together, and so sick that I never meddled more with it.
Our spies were two days before they could discoverany cattle. At length, however, they informed us they had heard some bellow, whereupon a thousand men were detached to fetch them. They were gone a whole week; they returned, however, with above two thousand beeves, and two hundred and fifty captives, women and children. This great prize made them fond of a second expedition; so, upon a consultation, a new camp was formed, and fortified in the same manner as before; in which deaan Crindo remained with four thousand men, whilst two thousand went out to plunder; and on their return two thousand more were to go.
Deaan Afferrer, deaan Sambo, Rer Mimebolambo, and Rer Befaugher, went out with two thousand men. We had three or four for our guides who were perfectly well acquainted with the country, and knew where the cattle were usually fed. We were two days before we came to any of their tracks, and then they were driven off, and, as appeared by their marks, quite different ways. So our army divided, deaan Sambo and Rer Befaugher went northward, and we south-west. We marched in the tracks all day and all the next night, as it was moonshine. We found ourselves in the morning near the sea, where they had driven the beasts to the margin of the water, that the ebbing and flowing and the wash of the sea might efface their footsteps on the sands; as indeed it did in a great measure: but we continued our march all day, till we found out where they turned off towards the woods. The next morning our spies came in, and informed us, that they heard a cow bellow. We soon came to the plain, where we found a hundred at least, but these were not sufficient; and therefore, narrowly observing their footsteps, we traced them farther, and found eight or nine hundred more. Here were besides two or three hundred sheep, which we killed, the best of them we dressed, and left the others behind us. However, we were in great want of water, for we had none for nearly two days. At length one of our scouts discovered a pond, where the cattle used to drink, and this, though hot and foul, we eagerlydrank, as we could get no better. Till this time we saw no enemies, though we expected them, for we could see the cow-herds fly from their cattle, in order, no doubt, to alarm their masters. And as some of us were taking up this water, as clean as we could, in our calabashes, and whilst one in particular was stooping down to wash his lamber, a volley of shot was fired amongst us before we perceived any body. We looked up and saw about eight or ten men, who ran back into the wood, which extended along on the other side of the water, within three or fourscore yards. We fired at them, but they vanished out of sight. None of us were hurt, but the man who was washing his lamber; he received a shot in his fundament, of which he instantly expired.
Though I had been superstitiously addicted to observe certain fixed characters, or hieroglyphics, when they occurred to me in dreams, which was indeed but seldom, and used to find they foretold some things to me; yet I could not but observe a remarkable instance which we had here of relying on dreams, and I did not fail taking notice of it to deaan Afferrer, and thereupon to turn their superstitious devotions to their owleys into ridicule. For seeing me come in a hurry, and hearing guns go off, he asked, “What news?” “Nothing,” said I, “but a man was killed by the order of his gods.” “How!” says the deaan, “by the order of his gods? I do not understand you.” “Why,” says I, “a man prayed to his owley last night, and when he lay down, bid it not fail to come when he was asleep. The demon which attends his owley, according to his desire, came, and told him in a dream, or, which is the same thing, he dreamed he told him, that he must wash his lamber the next morning. He went along with us in obedience to this divine vision, to the watering place, though he had no other business there; and as he stooped to wash his lamber, was killed by a random shot, which he received in his posteriors from some of our fugitive enemies, who fired, ran away, and hurt nobody else.” I was under no apprehensions ofdeaan Afferrer’s anger on this piece of raillery, for persecution on account of difference in religion is not thought of there.