THE ADVENTURES OF ROBERT DRURY. (continued 3)

We sallied out of our town as soon as it was dark, for we had a great way to go. Deaan Frukey, with all his people, having abandoned his own town, not thinking it sufficiently fortified, and moved to his brother’s, which was many miles farther to the northward, we 98marched very briskly, but as silently as possible, never speaking to each other, but in whispers. As my skin appeared white, they imagined it must be discerned at a distance in the dark, and expose us by that means to our enemy’s spies; they therefore made me besmear myself all over with mud.

We came near the town about two hours before daylight, and sent two men who were perfectly acquainted with every part of it, in order to search for breaches, or at least some weak places in the fortifications. They succeeded as they could wish, and returned, having discovered not only two breaches, but the private way too, which is always prepared for the women and children, by which to make their escape into the woods in case of a surprise. Near this place we laid an ambuscade of thirty men, who were ordered not to fire, or make the least noise, and to seize the women only in their flight. Our army was divided into three parts: deaan Mevarrow, with his people, attacked the more difficult breach of the two; a chief man of his the other; and deaan Sambo the gate, in whose party I was; for my master would not take me with him, thinking I could not well bear to tread upon the thorns in the fortification.

There were three gates, one within another. The signal for our attack was the firing the first gun, which was not to be till the deaan Mevarrow and the other chief had secured the outside of the breaches, and it was a quarter of an hour before we had accomplished it. The townsmen were by that time all in arms, and almost as well prepared as we, for they secured the inner gate, at the same time we entered the outer one, and came furiously towards us with warmth and resolution; however, we drove them back. They maintained the other, indeed, a long time, till deaan Mevarrow had, with much difficulty, gained a passage through the breach; one of his principal men was shot in the belly just before him, which so provoked him that he leaped down, and the rest followed.

About the same time we pushed vigorously towards, 99and entered the town. Immediately we heard the outcry of the women, who were surprised by our ambuscade, and almost all of them taken. The men got off by a breach, which they themselves made into the woods, and left us the town to plunder and reduce to ashes, which was done accordingly. I got for my share a small quantity of cotton, and a few wooden platters, and some spoons. We found here several of our cattle, and among the rest I espied my cow, and did not question then but I should soon have her again: but see the fatal effects of an ill-grounded security! We had now a great booty of slaves and cattle; the latter we drove out of the town before us, without any guard before them, thinking we had gained an entire victory and dispersed all our enemies; when, in fact, the number of them was greatly increased. They kept in a body in the woods, observed our motions, and only waited for a favourable opportunity to show their resentment. They soon perceived that the cattle were left defenceless, and that they had little more to do than to drive them into the woods, where we lost them all almost as soon as we had got them. For on our march, in order to recover them, the enemy appeared in a formidable body, firing at us, and even giving us battle. In this action one of our men was killed. Several of our people were missing before, even whilst we were in the town; and upon strict inquiry, we found three wounded, and four of our principal and bravest men cut off. Deaan Mevarrow and all the rest seemed very much concerned at this unexpected misfortune; and were not near so active or sanguine as they were before, so that now they thought of nothing but making a retreat with the slaves they had taken, and getting out of the reach of the enemy as soon as possible. Accordingly they left the plain open road by which we came, and went through the woods, a most uncomfortable way, for ten miles or more, overrun with thorns and briars, and in perpetual fear of ambuscades. We stopped, however, to make a bier to carry away our men who were wounded, and then marched on with 100the utmost circumspection, thinking every bird that stirred an enemy in ambush. Notwithstanding we got through this long wood very safely, we still went by unbeaten ways, so that it was almost dark before we got home. It is a constant custom, be the success of their engagements good or bad, for the chief to sit down with his people before his own door; the women soon flocked round him to hear the news, and though we brought with us a considerable number of slaves, yet there was no room for rejoicing; for the wives, relations, and friends who were killed made a most hideous outcry. However, a few calves were killed, and we refreshed ourselves as well as we could after our long fatigue; every man retired to his own apartment, and being weary, lay down to rest; but before daylight we were alarmed by the firing of a gun. The enemy, by our conduct the day before, perceived we were dispirited, and determined to give us no time to recruit; so they pursued us and attacked our town, as we had before done theirs; but I cannot say their judgment or conduct was equal to ours. For the first thing we did upon the alarm was, to have a party ready to secure the wives, children, and other valuable slaves, in which we succeeded to our wish, and conveyed them safely out of the town to their proper recesses. Though we defended ourselves as long as we could, yet we did not show so much courage and resolution as we should have done at another time; however, we retreated with but a trivial loss, and left them the town to plunder. There was nothing of value for them, since the women had carried off what their haste would admit of; and as for cattle, there was none but a few calves, whose dams they had seized at first; and such was their precipitation, that they could not drive even them away; so they killed them, and carried as much of their carcasses away for provision as they conveniently could. They never once offered to go in search for the women, but called to us, and vowed we should have no rest till they recovered their wives and children. We told them on the other hand, that we would have our cattle 101again, and not restore them their wives neither. They seemed pleased with thus showing their resentment; it was no small satisfaction to our people, though defeated this time, to find that notwithstanding all the disadvantages they then lay under, they were still able to cope with them.

But deaan Crindo, our king, by this time was apprized of all that had happened, who immediately undertook to reconcile all differences between us; and accordingly sent messengers to both parties to know the grounds of our quarrel, and the demands on both sides. Deaan Mevarrow sent word he was ready to oblige the king, and would live in peace with his uncles in case they would send him all his cattle again; and as deaan Frukey and Chahary wanted their wives again, they said, they were ready and willing to return what cattle were left alive of ours; but having killed a third part, they would never be accountable on that score. So that the king could not persuade deaan Frukey to make up the number of our cattle; nor on the other hand could he prevail on us to send them their wives unless they made restitution. Our master boldly sent the king word, that all the force he had, united with that of his sons, should not oblige him to restore their wives and children on any other terms.

Deaan Crindo resented this insolent answer, and was determined at all adventures to reduce them to a compliance; and in order thereto, mustered up an army of a thousand men, and was resolutely bent to come to deaan Mevarrow first. Now deaan Crindo could not on these occasions raise any considerable army, because there was a dispute always subsisting between him and his nephew Murnanzack, whose father was deaan Crindo’s elder brother; who dying when his son was an infant, and his country invaded, this uncle took upon him the charge of the government; and when possessed of it would never resign it. Deaan Murnanzack was not only an intrepid warrior, but a prince as well accomplished as ever appeared in this illiterate 102country. He was just, honourable, generous, and of a courteous disposition; he had three brothers, who were lords, judges, and chiefs of towns, who together could raise an army not much inferior to their uncle’s; besides, he was universally beloved. Now, in case of a foreign war, all were ready to oppose the common enemy, as we have seen them withstand the kings of Merfaughla and Antenosa; but they were ever jealous and watchful of each other. For which reason deaan Crindo could bring no greater an army against us than was consistent with the safety of his own town, and those belonging to his sons.

Deaan Mevarrow had notice of this design against him, by a particular friend of his in Fennoarevo, who ran from thence to our town by night, and returned before daylight undiscovered. My master had a cousin with whom he had contracted an intimate friendship, and whose father was as powerful a lord as any in deaan Crindo’s dominions; to this uncle, whose name was Mephontey, he fled with his people for protection. We soon packed up our little all which we had left. My whole stock of provision and household furniture consisted of no more than about a gallon of carravances, a mat to lie upon, a hatchet, and a little spade to dig up wild yams. We wanted no hoes now, for that work was put an end to in this country. All our plantations, and most of the produce which was laid up in little storehouses, were now left to the enemy’s disposal. In half a day we arrived at deaan Mephontey’s town, who treated my master with all due respect, and assured him, that he would defend both him and his people to the utmost of his power. The chiefs had houses given them, but we common people were obliged to build huts for ourselves in any part of the town where we could find room. As for my own part, I erected but a small one, not knowing how soon it might be burnt.

Deaan Crindo, in three days’ time, encamped before the town. He sent to deaan Mephontey, desiring him to deliver up deaan Mevarrow, and all his people, and bid him detain them at his peril. To this deaan Mephontey 103sent a resolute answer, that he would protect any strangers, who were in his opinion honest people, and fled to him for succour in distress; and much more should he be sanguine for the interest of his friends and relations; and if deaan Crindo would have them, he must take them away by force, for he would defend them to the last extremity.

Deaan Crindo prepared to attack the town the next morning, and we to defend it. In order thereto, the women and children were that night sent away into the woods, not all into one place, but at proper distances, and in small companies. I was ordered with a guard to take care of my mistress, and some other women and slaves who were with her, which I accordingly did. After I had marked the place, in order to find it again with ease, I returned to the town, where we lived as well as we could wish that night, dressing and eating beef in plenty, &c. for we had some cattle of our own, such as I was sent to keep at first, which were at a great distance, when deaan Frukey seized the milch cows; but we wanted water, which was a great misfortune to us, since our enemies were so near that we could fetch none all the day before.

The next morning we were all up by break of day, and every man at his station, according to appointment the day before. I was posted behind my master, who had two guns, one of which I was to load, while he fired with the other. It was broad day before the enemy began the attack; they fired so briskly upon us, that for nearly a quarter of an hour together we could not see them for smoke; but as soon as their fire abated, we returned it as hotly upon them. On the second onset they drew nearer, and the lances flew briskly at one another; one of which went through my lamber, and scratched me. I was a little surprised at first, but soon recovering my spirits, I returned them the lance over the fortification, in the same manner as it came to me. The cattle were very troublesome to us; for several of them being wounded, they ran up and down and put the rest into confusion. We fought thus for 104four hours successively, with great warmth on both sides, till deaan Crindo perceiving he could not enter the town, recalled his forces and withdrew to his camp. Deaan Mephontey and deaan Mevarrow were for sallying out; but deaan Mephontey’s son, Batoengha, with much difficulty persuaded them to desist, suspecting an ambuscade. Several were killed on both sides, and some wounded, whom we conveyed out of the town when the engagement was over to their wives. We buried our dead under the fortification, and sent out spies to observe the motions of the enemy, who brought us intelligence that they were very quiet, and that their whole time was spent in killing cattle, and fetching wood to dress provisions. When this news was confirmed, and we were well assured that they would give us no more trouble for that day, our people killed and dressed beef likewise, but we were parched up with thirst. You might here have seen men with their tongues lolling out of their mouths through excessive heat. This want of water is the most intolerable of all calamities, and a misery too great for words to express. I have before observed, that when I first came into this country, I felt the anguish of it for almost four days; and found by woful experience, that there was no comparison between hunger and thirst. I had relief, however, sooner than my neighbours; for my master sent me and two slaves with provisions for our mistress, and those who accompanied her, where, by the way, we found a little water.

I had some difficulty, notwithstanding all my precaution, to find the place where I left her the night before; however, I got there at last. She seemed in great concern for our welfare, and drowned in tears; for hearing the guns firing, and, at length, ceasing all at once, she imagined the town was taken and her husband killed; but the sight of me dispelled all those melancholy clouds. I cut down several boughs with large leaves upon them, which served very well for dishes and plates; and cutting the roast meat I brought with me into pieces, I served it up to my mistress: 105and though she had not, as some may probably remark, so much delicacy as some of our fine ladies of her birth and distinction in Europe, yet she enjoyed as grateful a repast, and I may venture to say was as well satisfied as they would have been in her then circumstances. When she was served, I divided the remainder amongst my fellow-servants, her women, who were her attendants. My orders being to stay with her, I sent the two men away who had brought a very considerable quantity of raw meat; and in the night I made a fire to dress it, which could not be discerned through so thick a wood; whereas, in the daytime, the smoke might have discovered us. I went at some distance and dug up several wild yams; these were very agreeable on account of their moisture, this place being destitute of water; but none of them, how much soever they might long for them, would venture to dig for themselves till I came, lest the noise might betray them to the enemy.

At night we sat very sociably round the fire, whilst I entertained them with the story of the engagement, and the dangers I had escaped. I also roasted the meat, and hung part of it up in one tree and part in another, out of the reach of the wild dogs and foxes, with which this country abounds. When it grew late, I told them I had no bed to lie on, having forgot my mat in the hurry. They laughed at this, and my mistress said, “Sure, Robin, you do not think but we will make room for one man amongst us?” and then bid me make choice of my place. Now I could be free and jocose enough with the young women slaves, though not with herself; yet I laid myself down close by them all night, and I can assure my reader we were very innocent.

I must here confess, I could not but wonder at first, why my master trusted me so readily with his wife, contrary to his care of her in regard to other men, and to the custom of the country; but when I began to reflect how dangerous it was for any woman, who was liable to be called to an account for all her actions, to carry on an amour with a white man, the wonder ceased; for, should a woman prove with child, the 106colour of the offspring would betray its mother, if not point out the father. But I must not let this pass with any thing which may be misconstrued to this lady’s prejudice; for I solemnly declare, I never once discovered in her the least criminal inclination; notwithstanding what may be said here or elsewhere, of some such freedoms as would appear too condescending, and be censured as too forward in our European women.

We arose by daybreak, and listened very attentively to hear, if we could, the noise of guns, but none were discharged; and in a short time the two men came again to us, and brought us more provisions. They informed us that deaan Crindo had sent a menacing message to deaan Mephontey, to let him know, that unless he obliged deaan Mevarrow to come to him, and submit to his determination of the quarrel between him and deaan Frukey, that he would humble their pride, and remain there with his army till he starved them; and moreover, he would guard the watering place so strongly, that they should not dare to approach it. Deaan Mephontey, on the other hand, returned as resolute an answer; that he was under no apprehensions of starving, having provisions enough of all kinds; a great number of cattle, and other conveniences for them to live on for three months; but besides, he had strength sufficient to force his way out of the town whenever he thought proper; and advised deaan Crindo, for that reason, not to put it to the hazard of a trial, but to move off, and rest contented with the repulse he had already met with.

After the men had told their tale they returned home, and we all went to digging of yams; even my mistress condescended to make one amongst us: so I sharpened sticks for them, and they pulled off their lambers to keep them clean; notwithstanding some of them were such worthless things, that a rag woman in England would scarce have picked them up. My mistress’s, indeed, was a fine silk one of various colours, and very large, hanging almost down to her feet, with 107a handsome fringe at the bottom. They made more free with me than they would with some others; saying, with a smile, that they did not look upon me as a man, since I discovered no warm or amorous inclinations. My reader, perhaps, will scarcely believe me when I assure him, there were amongst them such beauties, as were not much inferior to our European ladies, except their colour; but my behaviour and resolution were actually such at that time, and long after, that I told them, I resolved never to entertain any thoughts of women, till I returned to England my native country. They replied, they were sure I should be mistaken. However, I lived very idly, indeed, but merrily enough, during the few days I continued here; there being about a dozen women besides my mistress. And for my part, I did not care how long the war lasted, for my provision was given me all the time, and I had no work to do. As to the dangers that attended war, I did not concern myself about them; I had nothing to lose but my life, which, considering the circumstances I was in, and the small hopes I had of ever getting home, was but a burthen to me; but we had not yet seen all the miseries of a civil war. Every morning we used to listen to hear if possible the noise of guns; when, at length, one of the slaves came to us alone without any meat; and having seated himself (as slaves in particular always do before they speak) he told us, that deaan Crindo was gone away, and that my master had sent for us home. This was very agreeable news; so we sat down to breakfast together, sang, and were as jovial as so many beggars. My mistress was in a hurry to be gone; for she was uneasy till she paid her respects to her husband. As soon as ever she saw him she fell upon her knees, and licked his feet; and he returned her compliment, after the manner of the country, by touching her nose.

Now the reason of deaan Crindo’s sudden departure was, an information that deaan Murnanzack had seized six hundred of his cattle; he might have taken them 108all indeed, if he would, but he did this only to begin the dispute. We stayed, however, a week longer at deaan Mephontey’s town, till we were better informed how the matter stood between them; and that there was nothing to fear on that side. Deaan Crindo, it seems, had sent to deaan Murnanzack, to know the reason why he seized those cattle, and whether he was determined to take deaan Mevarrow’s part? The answer he received was, that he did it to show him his right of dominion; notwithstanding he doubted not, but that he would dispute his title with him, as unjustly as he had usurped it.

This was a mortifying stroke, and happened at a very unlucky juncture: deaan Murnanzack was always a formidable competitor, and was looked on as such, whenever he thought proper to maintain his right; and he, doubtless, embraced this opportunity on purpose, when deaan Crindo had weakened his interest, by affronting deaan Mevarrow, deaan Sambo, and their friend deaan Mephontey. Crindo was soon convinced of his error, and endeavoured to soften matters, by sending messengers to all of them, to tell them that what he did, was with no other view than to chastise his grandsons; and what was highly requisite to restore that peace and tranquillity, which they and his son Frukey had disturbed; though he began with the former, yet Frukey, had he proved refractory, should have felt the weight of his resentment as well as others: he hoped, therefore, that they would consider his good intention, and not break friendship with him.

Three or four days after this, we departed from deaan Mephontey’s; but first returned him many thanks for these generous testimonies of his friendship and hospitality. We went home, (or rather homeward only,) for though we found our way and the place of our late abode, yet not a house was left to put our heads in. Our plantations too were totally demolished, and the very barns and storehouses reduced to ashes; so that we had nothing to live on but what the woods afforded, 109and a few cattle among the richest and chiefest men; who were in fact very good, and communicated to their poor neighbours.

The town being so absolutely demolished, as not to be repaired, deaan Mevarrow determined to build a new one; and searching for a commodious place, at length he found a wood so thick, that a dog could not creep into it. This, therefore, was more than half fortified to his hand, and pitched upon accordingly. A vacancy was soon made in it, the men cut down the trees, bushes, and briars, and the women and children conveyed them away; so that in about three days, we cleared a large space to erect our houses on: however, as it was summer time, we were not in so much haste for houses, as for fences against an enemy. We fortified it, therefore, with bodies of trees, which we cut about sixteen or eighteen feet in length; these we drove into the ground so close together, that no creature whatever could possibly get between them. But as one row only of these poles of trees was not thought a sufficient security, we made three or four, one within another, round the whole circumference of the town; leaving no other vacancy than a small and private passage for the conveyance of our women, children, and slaves away with safety, in case of an enemy’s approach; and this was so contrived, as not to be discerned with ease or known by strangers. We made but one gateway or entrance, and that not only narrow too, but defended with four prodigiously thick and substantial doors, one within another.

The walls being completed, nothing more remained to do, but each man to erect a house of what extent he thought proper for himself and his family. We, who were slaves to deaan Mevarrow, took care to build his first; some of us cut wood, others fetched grass in order to fill up the sides; whilst I and about thirty more, went a tedious way, at least ten miles, for annevoes, which are the leaves of a tree like those of a cocoa-nut. These we split and covered the house with, for they make a thatch much neater and stronger 110than any in England, but these trees were so scarce, and at such a distance, that a single man could not go often enough, in any reasonable time, to collect the leaves; and notwithstanding we went in such a body, we were obliged to go twice for a sufficient quantity to cover my master’s house.

When we had finished my master’s seat, we went about our lesser apartments, and as at deaan Mephontey’s a small one served my turn, so it did here in like manner; for, notwithstanding all our strong walls and fortifications, I much questioned whether we should be able to keep them long; neither did we, as it proved soon after: so I made my hut no bigger than just to have room sufficient to stretch my self at full length, and make a fire in, should I, by good fortune, find any victuals to dress.

About a week after we were settled in our new town, a messenger, (or rather, an ambassador,) arrived from deaan Murnanzack, with about twenty in his retinue. His business was to sound deaan Mevarrow’s inclinations, and (if they found a favourable opportunity) to desire his friendship and assistance. He soon found there were good grounds to hope for success, and for that reason delivered his message the first night he came. To which deaan Mevarrow returned in answer, he would take it into consideration, consult with his people, and give him his determinate answer the next morning. In the mean time, he gave him a slave’s house for his immediate accommodation, as is customary on such occasions; and sent a bullock for the entertainment of him and his attendants. In the next place, he sent out messengers to all the chiefs and freemen to come and consult with him on an affair of the last importance. I was present, and saw this assembly. As soon as deaan Mevarrow and his brother deaan Sambo were seated, the principals placed themselves on either hand, and the other freemen on each side of them.

Deaan Mevarrow opened the consultation, by telling them, that deaan Murnanzack had sent a very honourable 111messenger to him to ask his friendship and assistance. We must not forget, says he, that deaan Murnanzack proved of singular service to us in the quarrel we once had with deaan Termerre; therefore, consider we are much indebted to him upon that score. Consider, moreover, that Chahary and Frukey will ever be irreconcilable enemies, so long as we detain their wives and families; and you concur with me not to deliver them without a due return of all our cattle, which they obstinately refuse: then, as deaan Crindo is their father, he, doubtless, will be partial, notwithstanding his seeming pretensions to peace, and affected regard for justice; but in what manner he has lately used us, is too fresh in all your memories to need repetition. The justice of deaan Murnanzack’s claim to the dominion, is, I presume, indisputable; whether deaan Crindo may not justify himself as affairs now stand, in assuming the authority, is what we shall not, at this juncture, take into consideration; but it is highly requisite for us to consider, whether deaan Murnanzack has strength enough to maintain the dispute, and protect us, and such other friends as may be inclined to join him. This requires the most mature deliberation: the chance of war is very precarious, and you have families, slaves, and cattle to lose as well as I; weigh well, therefore, the matter in hand, and let me have your resolution, with which I shall readily concur.

They argued the point for some considerable time, and consulted not only what would be most conducive to their interest, but reflected on the dangerous situation they were in; and that it was most probable they should be safest in joining with deaan Murnanzack. Thereupon they agreed, that one of them should declare the result of their consultation to the deaan. In the name of the rest, therefore, he desired him, if he approved of their opinion, to contract and enter into a solemn friendship with deaan Murnanzack; and if so, they would faithfully observe and support him to the utmost of their power.

After I had seen the manner and formality of this 112grand assembly, our parliament in Great Britain ran strangely in my head: I imagined this the very image of it: and though I was but a lad when I went from home, yet as my father kept a public house, to which the best of gentlemen resorted, I remember, I have heard them often disputing with one another about the power of the prince, to oblige the people to do what he pleased without consulting them; whilst others insisted that a king had no power without a parliament. Then they would dispute about the origin of parliaments and their power, and by whose means the use of them was brought first into England; in this too they seldom agreed. Some said the Saxons introduced it; others maintained that it was of a more modern date; whilst many were of different opinions from both. Now methinks this article might be adjusted without any reference to authors and historians; that parliaments were established long before the Saxons or Romans either: for I imagine, that not only England, but several other countries besides, were once like Madagascar, without the knowledge of letters and coined money; and if that be the case, it was then impossible for princes to exert that authority over the people, or to dispose of them contrary to their interest, or inclinations: for I look upon those princes to be like my master, who neither had, nor could have any separate army or interest; but when any neighbour desired their assistance, or any enemy had injured them, they assembled before the house of their chief; and there debated what measures were most proper to be taken for the good of their country. If war were agreed on, the same men took their arms, and the sovereign or chief headed them, as my master did here; and when they returned, each man went home to his own family. Thus the people are their own army and defence; and the lord could never oblige them to do what the majority did not think convenient to be done, because he had no army to compel them. This was, doubtless, the condition of all other countries once, and must have continued so, had not people subjected themselves 113unwarily to the power of one man, by giving him wealth and authority, not only sufficient to raise an army, but to keep it in pay himself, and use it at discretion for their defence; with which he most shamefully insulted and abused them. However, in the state of nature, and the first establishment of societies, this was the form of government; and with due submission to the learned, I am of opinion we need not turn over many volumes to find the original of British parliaments, for they are of much earlier date than all their histories, or than letters themselves—and as to their power, it is grounded on the strongest basis, reason and nature. But to return to our story.

The alliance being unanimously resolved upon, deaan Mevarrow sent for the messenger the next morning; and told him that he and his people, after mature deliberation, were agreed to assist deaan Murnanzack; and desired that their friendship might be ratified, and confirmed with the usual solemnity. Hereupon an ox was immediately brought and killed, the liver roasted, and stuck on lances, and deaan Murnanzack’s ambassador, and a deputy of deaan Mevarrow’s, eat the liver between them, repeating the imprecation we have mentioned before; that they wished it might prove poison, and a farther curse might be sent by God upon that party who first broke the alliance.

After this solemn ratification, the ox was divided between the ambassador’s people and ours, who were present, and both eat it together; after which, he and his attendants departed. And now deaan Mevarrow repented that he had built this new town, for he would have gone and lived near deaan Murnanzack, whose country bordered on Merfaughla on one side, and was within ten or a dozen miles on the other side of Fennoarevo. He had three brethren; deaan Mussecorrow, who lived near him; deaan Afferrer, who lived on the mountains of Yong-gorvo, of whom we shall have occasion to give a large account hereafter; and Rer Mimebolambo, the youngest, who lived but about five miles from us to the eastward; and this last being so 114very near us, we were ready at hand to join in any enterprise, or to aid and assist one another. However, we did not think ourselves safe, and, therefore, we took care not to let deaan Crindo know our resolution, till we had made one expedition; and after that, we made ourselves more secure.

But the course of my narrative naturally leads me to a detail of deaan Murnanzack’s attack on deaan Mundumber’s town, where he took three hundred cattle, and a great number of women and children; for it is not customary to take men prisoners, if they cannot get away from their enemies, they are immediately cut off. Among the captives were deaan Mundumber’s wife and daughter, the only child he ever had. Having plundered the town, they were going to reduce it to ashes, but deaan Murnanzack prevented them; and marching into the plain, waited to see if deaan Mundumber would rally, and give him battle. His people appeared, indeed, but at a great distance, not daring to come nearer; which, as soon as he perceived, he marched homewards, but first did a very generous action, and sent back deaan Mundumber’s wife and daughter to him; telling her, he did not intend it as a compliment to her husband, but as a token of his respect to herself and family: she being niece to the king of Yong-Owl, one of the most powerful princes on the island. Nor did he do it with any view that he should return the like favour, for he had no wife, and was well assured by God’s assistance, who would favour his just cause, that it would never be in his power to prove prejudicial to any of his relations.

As soon as deaan Crindo heard that his son’s town was taken, he thought it high time to seek revenge; and accordingly mustered up a great army, threatening to lay the country waste, to destroy all the men, and make slaves of their wives and children. He sent, likewise, to our master to join him, but he peremptorily refused; saying, he would never join with his professed enemies against his experienced friends. However, he did not declare his intentions of opposing him. 115They both sent to deaan Mephontey, but he refused to be concerned on either side, and kept his word; for his dominions extending to the river Manderra, the boundaries of Antenosa, he was apprehensive that the inhabitants of those parts might take the advantage of his absence, plunder his towns, and lay waste his country.

When deaan Crindo marched from Fennoarevo, he did not wholly abandon his towns, but left a considerable number of men in them, for fear of Rer Mimebolambo and Afferrer. He had no jealousy of us, however; whilst he was gone Rer Mimebolambo and my master deaan Mevarrow joined forces, and went out to see what they could find; they soon surprised three towns, for the men made a very weak resistance; so they brought off about two hundred cattle, and fifty slaves. My master was discovered by having a white man (meaning myself) along with him. This was altogether unexpected to them, and deaan Crindo’s wife immediately sent him notice thereof, and that she was in no small concern on that account. To which information he returned for answer, that he would soon despatch the business he was about, and then he would be amply revenged of deaan Mevarrow. But we took care to be provided for him.

In our way homewards, the cattle and slaves were equally divided between deaan Mevarrow and Rer Mimebolambo; and they then came to this resolution, that it was absolutely necessary for them to live together in one town. Ours was the strongest, but not so big as we could wish; theirs was of a larger extent, and they had, moreover, abundance of empty houses, which were deserted by those who went away upon the war’s breaking out; so it was agreed we should settle there. We lost no time, for the very day we went home we packed up all our goods, and marched away directly to Merhaundroverta, which was the name of Rer Mimebolambo’s town, and abandoned our own in less than a fortnight after we had built it. Thus were we driven about like our wild boars that change their holes every day, and fly from one wood to another, lest 116the wild dogs should find them out. And we were not only forced to secure ourselves against the surprises of a body of our enemies, but as we lived so near one another, three or four, or half a dozen of their men would often lie lurking in the woods near towns, and catch a woman, child, or slave of ours, that happened to stroll out on any occasion whatever, as digging of wild yams, &c., so that we had little else to eat but beef; and such as had it of their own gave it to those who had none.

However, I had an employment here which maintained me handsomely enough, and it seemed as if Providence had thought fit to appoint it, on purpose for my support in this seasonable conjuncture. Few of this part of the island will eat any beef unless it is killed by one descended from a race of kings; now my master, just before the war broke out, growing haughty to excess, and having none but himself and his brother to execute these high offices, they were sometimes obliged to go five or six miles to kill an ox. He at last reflected that these people have an exalted opinion of all white men, and taking me for the captain’s son, whom they looked upon to be no ways inferior to a king, I was thought of honourable descent enough to be preferred to the dignity of a butcher; though in fact I did nothing more than cut the throat of the beast, and they carved him up themselves: however, for this, I always had my fee, which was a large piece of meat. Though my master and some others, as discerning as myself, plainly perceived that this was a very idle custom; yet he knew that the vulgar are not to be opposed in their old ways, be they ever so ridiculous and absurd; and had deaan Mevarrow obstinately declined this office, and called it a mere caprice of theirs, so abrupt an innovation would, in all probability, have been attended with an almost general desertion, for they would instantly have gone and lived under other lords. He contrived, therefore, to substitute me in his room, and by that means did, (as all wise governors will,) seemingly conform to custom to humour the people; yet by an 117ingenious expedient shifted off from himself a mean and troublesome employment.

The next morning the cattle were divided; my master had ten, his brother six, and the principal men one a piece: some others had one between two, and we slaves one between four of us. For my part I wanted no beef; for I was often employed, during my residence in this town, to kill the beasts. I was obliged, however, to agree with my partners to kill ours, for they had little enough, though I had plenty. I lived tolerably well here, often exchanging beef for potatoes, &c., with the towns-people; and here we heard of the havoc deaan Crindo had made in the country. The people who were allied to deaan Murnanzack, and dwelt in small towns, left their habitations and removed with their families and cattle beyond deaan Murnanzack’s toward the sea, where they were sheltered under his protection. When deaan Crindo came to such towns as were abandoned, he burnt them down, and utterly destroyed the plantations, pulling up every thing by the roots, as if his intention were to create a famine in the country.

Deaan Murnanzack was all this time with his brother Mussecorrow, on his march towards them, and had such good intelligence, that, under the cover of a wood, he came undiscovered almost upon them. They were then ravaging a very large plantation of potatoes, and some others not far distant from it. He divided his army into four parts, resolving to attack them on all sides, whilst they were thus mischievously bent; and boldly showed his face in front, whom they hurried to oppose; the other parties fired each from their post, killed several, and put the rest into confusion. However, they made a vigorous resistance, retreating and forcing their way into a wood, where it was almost impossible to follow them. Here deaan Crindo rallied them, and disposed them in good order, each either under his own, or one of his son’s command; for Mundumber, Chahary, and Frukey, his three sons, were with him. They were much superior in number to the 118other; some said, nearly twice as many; which deaan Murnanzack was no stranger to, nor to the courage of his uncle; but he was resolute notwithstanding to engage him: and though he had time sufficient to have retreated, yet he only marched back into the plain, to secure an advantageous ground, and have time to form his army; which he did accordingly, and waited for his enemy’s approach to attack him. It was not long before the engagement began, which was carried on with great vigour and warmth on both sides; till deaan Murnanzack perceiving his brother Mussecorrow’s division began to give ground, he was determined to make a bold push himself; and throwing away his gun, with six small lances in his hand, he challenged several of his principal men to follow him, if they durst, into the thickest of the enemy’s body, which they very gallantly did. But he, being foremost, ran like an enraged lion, and in spite of all their fire and flying lances, came to close quarters, hand to hand with his lances; and those gallant men with him, following his example, drove all that division of their enemy’s army back, and put it into utter confusion, who not being able to abide their fury, ran away. They broke into the very part where deaan Crindo himself was posted, who would have been struck through with a lance by one of Murnanzack’s companions, had not the deaan himself very generously prevented it, desiring them not to kill his uncle. He left his people to pursue them, whilst he ran to the aid and assistance of Mussecorrow, who, at the same time made a vigorous push, being ashamed to be outdone; however, they would have been utterly ruined, had not deaan Murnanzack himself stept in to their assistance in that critical conjuncture. But they were soon in one general disorder, flying towards the woods with the utmost precipitation, where deaan Murnanzack followed them to prevent them from rallying, and carried on the pursuit till he saw they were quite dispirited, and making homewards to recruit themselves.

Deaan Crindo perceiving he could do no good with Murnanzack, was determined not to be idle, and permit 119deaan Mevarrow and Rer Mimebolambo to join forces; so out of policy as well as revenge he resolved to attack us first. But no sooner had he declared his intentions, and made preparations for that purpose, than a friend of Mevarrow came out by night, and acquainted him therewith. On this information he held a consultation with Rer Mimebolambo about their defence; and in order thereto, considering there were so many cattle in town, as would disturb them in an engagement, he proposed to send part of them to deaan Murnanzack’s; where the other people had secured theirs. Rer Mimebolambo would send none of his; my master, however, willing to have something to subsist on, in case they should lose what they had here, picked out forty beasts; some of our richest men also sent six, and others more or less; in short, there were in all about fourscore and ten beasts separated from the rest, to be sent away. I perceived what was going forward, and would fain have concealed myself; for I did not know whether I should live so well there as here: besides, it was a large number for one person to take care of. But there was no remedy; nobody else would send a slave with me, and my master himself would spare no more than one, and he looked upon me as the best qualified of any one man to do it; whereupon he gave orders to six or seven men well armed to guard, and conduct me, and I took my leave of my friends and acquaintance, and proceeded accordingly.

We were forced to go round about by several tedious, unpractised ways, and to look out as narrowly as possible, lest our enemies should intercept us; but we embraced a very favourable opportunity when they were all dispirited by their defeat, and suspected nothing of any such prize being near them. So in two days we arrived at deaan Afferrer’s town, situate on the hills of Yong-gorva, where we stayed two days to rest our cattle, and were going upon the third in the morning, at which time we heard a shell blow. This alarmed not only the town, but the whole country; they ran immediately to defend the passage up the hill (for there is 120but one) when instantly came two messengers from deaan Murnanzack to deaan Afferrer, to acquaint him that he was at the bottom of the hill, in order to pay him a visit. When my guardians saw them join, and found it was deaan Murnanzack, they went (as soon as the usual compliments were past between the two brothers) to deaan Murnanzack, and informed him, that deaan Mevarrow had sent some cattle and a proper person to look after them, in order to be conveyed somewhere under his protection. He desired them to thank deaan Mevarrow for his friendship and assistance, and assure him that his cattle should have all the care taken of them imaginable, and be put amongst his own. As soon as they had delivered up their charge they took their leaves of me, and returned.

When deaan Murnanzack saw the cattle, and found that I was left with them, he seemed surprised; and asked me if I was cow-keeper, saying, he never heard of a white man being put upon that employment. I made answer, since it was my master’s pleasure, I did not think proper to dispute it with him, and would execute my office as well as I could.

Three days after, deaan Murnanzack went homewards, giving orders to three servants to assist me, and we followed in the rear; we had also above a dozen other people with us, who carried provision, bedding, &c. for their masters. As soon as we were down the hill, I discovered a new scene; the soil was of a quite different nature as well as colour; yellow clay with stones; which made my feet very uneasy, having been used to a sandy ground before: however, I was soon inured to it. The trees, likewise, were different; much loftier, and more straight and regular. This was the place I had often wished to see, on account of the wild cattle, of which I had heard so much. I soon found the large tracks they made through the woods, which rendered the driving of mine much easier here, than in other woods.

About noon we lay down to refresh ourselves in a grove. The whole country is very beautiful, and well watered with springs and rivulets. They soon showed 121me some wild cattle which were standing under the covert of the trees: I was very desirous of viewing them closer, and taking a gun in my hand, I went toward them; but when I was got within thirty yards, I was obliged to creep on the ground, and conceal myself as well as I could with the grass, which is very high. Before I came up to them, I saw three bulls running directly towards me; their eyes sparkled with fire, their ears pricked upright, and they foamed at the mouth; in all probability they fled from some that gave them chase. They put me into such a terrible fright that I thought of nothing but firing at them, to save myself from being torn to pieces; but as Providence would have it, I fired and wounded one so deeply, that he fell. Though I was safe with respect to him, I expected the others would have attacked me; and to avoid their fury, I lay flat on my face, not daring to stir, till hearing no noise, but the halloos of my companions at a distance, I looked up, and found that all of them had run away, except the wounded one, which lay kicking on the ground: however, I durst not go near him, till my friends came up, and put us both out of our pain, by cutting his throat, and applauding me for my courage, and being so expert a marksman. How contrary to one’s expectation things often happen! I imagined they would have laughed at me for my cowardice; and by mistake, and mere chance, I was looked upon as one of more than common courage as well as conduct.

Whilst they were cutting up the bull, I could not forbear gazing with admiration on those which they called wild cattle, and in fact they are so; but they are so like those in England, that I could then perceive no manner of difference: nor have I been able since to discover any, except in two trivial particulars; the horns, I take it, of our English bulls are somewhat shorter, and their bellowings deeper. When we had cut up our beef, we roasted some part of it, and pleased ourselves with the thoughts of our masters having left us behind, because we should not spoil their sport; we happened, however, on better luck than they, and had 122not only beef to eat sooner than they, but got some ready to dress for them at the place of rendezvous at night. This bull-beef, you may be sure, could not be any thing extraordinary, nor any ways equal to the flesh of such as are tame; especially after it had run so far, and so hard, before it was killed. These wild cattle will give the hunters a chase sometimes of several miles together after they are wounded; which makes the flesh but indifferent meat, especially if it be a bull; but people in want are glad of what comes first to hand; for these wild cattle are a great help to such as live in the remote parts, who, in necessitous times, come here a hunting. However, they are frequently found in another vast tract of forest land of some hundred miles extent; of which, and of their supposed original, I shall have an occasion hereafter to give a particular account. The place where we baited at noon, and lay this night, were very agreeable and delightful groves; and indeed, all this country is so, for several days’ journey together. It abounds with wild honey, wild boars, and such a variety of pleasant fruits, that men may not only find enough to satisfy their hunger and thirst, but to indulge their luxurious appetites, without the fatigue of any cultivation; and there are many that live in a state of indolence and ease.

Amongst the most wholesome as well as delicious fruits of the earth, and that which I first tasted of here, is their faungidge; it grows (as my companion showed me) in the thickest woods. They search first for the plant, which is a tender creeper, or wild vine that takes hold of a tree or any thing near it, twining round the trunk and shooting into several branches like a vine. I never perceived that it bore any fruit, and was surprised when they told me it was the root of this which produced the faungidge; however, instead of digging at the root, they went at least half a dozen yards from it, and struck the ground with the points of their lances to observe where it sounded hollow; and digging there they found the faungidge. The root spreads a great way under ground, and but few of the branches bear 123the faungidge; so that it would be to little purpose to trace it from the spot, where it appears above ground.

The first I saw was not much less in bulk than one of our gallon runlets; it is red and very smooth without, and the coat is as thin as parchment; the inside is white and has a milky juice; it eats as soft as a water melon, but has no seeds in it; it is both meat and drink, very wholesome, and always eaten raw.

The verlaway is of the same species, and in all respects much like it; with this difference only, that the skin of the latter is thinner, but so tough that it must be pared with a knife. There is another kind, called the verlaway-voler, which is reckoned unwholesome: I once saw a man, who had tasted some of it swell immediately, and was ready to die; but by giving him some melted fat to drink, he brought it up and soon recovered. This verlaway-voler is easily known, for it is much more beautiful to the eye than the other; and the leaf which springs from it is very different.

The next day I was extremely diverted: for deaan Murnanzack did not leave us as he did the day before. In the morning, we saw a bull alone in the midst of a large plain; the deaan, by way of amusement, ordered us to stop, whilst he and two more drove my cattle toward the bull; who no sooner saw them, than he roared and tore up the ground with his horns, as if he expected some enemy to oppose him; but finding they were cows, he showed an inclination to be better acquainted with them. The deaan and his companions hid themselves under cover of the cows; they let them graze a little, and then drove them forwards, till the wild bull was amongst them; as soon as he put his nose to a cow’s tail, deaan Murnanzack, concealed under another cow’s belly, stuck a lance in his flank; away he ran with it, but not far before he had another in his side; and now they had room for the sport they aimed at, which was not unlike (as I have been informed) the diversion of a Spanish bull feast. Several, by this time, joined in the chase; he ran nearly a mile outright before he stopped, and turned to his pursuers; 124which they always do, when they are closely beset; and then every one must take care of himself: for it is a very dangerous encounter, and so it was here, the beast grew outrageous, and turning upon them, ran directly at the man who first wounded him, whilst another from behind, threw a lance into his flank; then the bull turned again, as he always does, to the person who last wounded him; and the hunters being divided to take him all ways, and keeping at a good distance likewise, as well to prevent hurting one another, as to give him room to play in, they at length killed him; but this sometimes proves a very tragical pastime.

This night we lay in a wood, where we found faungidge in abundance; thus we lived deliciously with only the natural produce of the country. I tied up my calves every night that my cows might not stray, and was forced to rise two or three times, to see that none of my cattle got amongst the wild ones; for when they do, it is no small trouble to catch them again; for whenever they see the others run, they follow likewise, as fast as they can.

The next day at noon we halted at a spring, which rises from the highest hill in this island, called Vohitch-maner, or red hill; vohitch signifying a hill, or mountain. I drove my cattle into a fine valley, where there was fine grass, but a wild bull came amongst them, and covered one of my cows. I had a great inclination to kill him, though I almost shook for fear; they are terrible creatures to any body’s apprehension, who is not used to them, and my fear was the cause of my ill success; for concealing myself under another cow, I took such an awkward aim at him, that I struck one of my own herd instead of him. However, as the wound did not prove mortal, I concealed it; not so much out of any apprehension I had of my master’s anger, as out of fear of being laughed at, for wounding a tame cow, instead of a wild bull.

We set up early this afternoon, in a place commodiously situated near some good water; and then we went out to search for wild honey and faungidge. I 125had the good fortune to discover a large hole in a hollow tree, that was full of the former; I made a fire presently, and with a brand smoked the bees out. In the next place I cut down a vounturk, to make a vessel like a tub, to put my honey in. This vounturk is a tree or plant, (for I don’t well know what to call it,) of a very particular shape and nature. It grows upright as an arrow, about sixteen or eighteen feet in length, is thin below, thick in the middle, and taper again above, like a nine pin. At the top there are two or three branches, that bear leaves of a great length; in the spring they have blossoms, but I never saw any fruit that came to perfection; the outer bark is whitish, like old lead, and full of long thorns, which are easily struck off with a lance. We likewise cut the bark all round, and the tree immediately falls down, not being able to support itself: after this we take away what length we want, and pull out the spongy substance on the inside, till we come within three or four inches of the bottom. By this means we make a vessel light and easy of carriage, and in one of these I secured my honey. The juice of this vounturk is good liquor, and even fit to boil any thing in, when water is scarce. I found also some faungidge. At my return I paid my respects to deaan Murnanzack, and made him a present of some of my honey, which is a compliment our lords always expect.

It was now night, and they were going a beef hunting: when they set out on purpose to kill the best beasts, they always make choice of the darkest nights. They permitted me, on my request, to accompany them; but first ordered me to wash myself, as they themselves did, that we might not smell either of smoke or sweat. I would have taken two lances according to custom, but they obliged me to leave one behind me, lest two together might rattle in my hand. These cattle feed only in the night, and if all these precautions were not taken, they could never be surprised; for they are always on their guard, snorting with their noses, and listening after their pursuers. We can hear them roar, 126and bellow a great way off; by which we know where they are, and we are forced always to go round till they are directly to the windward of us; for otherwise they would soon scent us. As soon as we had got the wind and cattle right ahead, and were within hearing, we walked with all the circumspection imaginable, cropping the top of the grass with our hands, as close as possible, to mimic, as well as we could, the noise a cow makes when she bites it. The moment they heard us they were all hush; not one of them bellowed or grazed, but seemed to listen with the utmost attention: which when we perceived, we all stood still likewise without a whisper, whilst three or four, who understood the nature of it best, continued cropping the grass. When the cattle had listened, till (as we imagined) they took us for some of their own species, they returned to their grazing, and we walked with caution nearer, still mimicking them as we moved softly along. Deaan Murnanzack ordered me to keep behind, lest they should discern my white skin, and be startled; he also gave me his lamber to cover myself with, which was a large piece of black silk, so that if I had been near them, they could have seen nothing but my face, the grass being above knee deep.

At length we got amongst them, so that one of our men (as he told me) with some grass in his hand, and under the cover of a bush, took hold of the dug of a cow, and finding she gave no milk, he concluded she was not lean; for which reason he stuck his lance instantly into her belly, and drew it out again, making no other motion. The cow thus wounded will give a spring perhaps, and make a noise, as if another had run her horns against her; but this is so common amongst them, that the herd is not any ways disturbed by it: so that our people stuck three or four after this manner, and left them, with an intention to come the next morning, and track them by their blood; for it is very dangerous to come near them in the night. As soon as they find themselves sorely wounded, they run from their companions, and will attack the first man 127they see. They are generally found actually dead, or fallen down in some wood, or shelter of bushes, as if they industriously endeavoured to conceal themselves. No sooner had we determined to depart, and I had returned deaan Murnanzack his lamber, than a calf, that had been mortally wounded, began to make a hideous uproar, and running about, made the herd jealous; so that they ran away, and the calf made directly at me, and knocked me backwards; I caught hold of his leg, but cried out lustily for help. This accident afforded much mirth, and fixed a joke upon me afterwards; as a stout fellow to cry out for assistance to cope with a calf. However, they took him, cut him to pieces, and carried him away; of whom we made a very good supper. I have been informed, that notwithstanding these cattle are so wild, the cows will sometimes stand still to have their dugs handled, and several of them have been milked in the dark into a horn; however, as I never attempted this myself, I cannot absolutely vouch it for truth; yet as I have heard so many affirm it, I think there are no just grounds to contradict it.

We were in no hurry to get home, for not only our cattle, but we too, lived as well as we could desire there; so that though we kept going forwards, yet we made several days more of our journey than we should have done. A day or two after this beef hunting, we had an accidental diversion of another kind: our dogs had got the scent of some wild hogs that were got into a thicket, and were very busy in running round it; but could find no entrance for a considerable time. At length, however, they found the path which the swine had made, and attempted to enter the wood by it: the passage was defended by a large boar, who fought the dogs with great fury, and wounded one of them in a very dangerous manner. Now, what with the dogs on the one hand, and the swine on the other, there was such a yelping, grunting, and howling, that the woods rang with their noise; and one would have imagined, 128all the hogs in the island had met there by consent, in order to revenge their quarrel upon us.

We laid down our burdens, and some of us went up to them, armed with guns and lances. Deaan Murnanzack shot the boar that wounded his dog; whereupon another in an instant defended the entrance, and fought so resolutely, that neither the dogs, nor we ourselves, could come near the cattle that were within; till we had made a passage behind them with our hatchets and lances, and then fired upon some of the most resolute, who turned upon us. The rest perceiving themselves attacked behind, fought their way through the dogs, and ran away, with the dogs after them. Words cannot describe the noise there was, especially after a number of them were wounded. We found seven dead, besides several others so wounded that they could not make off. We picked out only one or two of the fattest, for there are very few that will eat them. I did not dare to take any, on account of my office of killing beeves, and the eating of swine’s flesh is accounted so contemptible a thing, that I should have lessened my dignity, and perhaps been degraded; which, whatever mean thoughts I might possibly have, as to the honour of it, I had too good an opinion of its value to part with it for the gratification of my appetite in one meal: for in this case they are curious to a punctilio, that if the daughter of a king be married to any one that is not of a royal family, their children are not admitted to the honour of killing beeves, notwithstanding the father be a freeman, and a chief amongst his neighbours.

We used every evening to sit down near the prince, and discourse of one thing or another to divert the time; now, though it is a common custom amongst the princes here, to converse with every body in the most familiar manner, yet they preserve a decent state and distinction. The people throughout the whole island pay a religious regard to dreams, and imagine that their good demons (for I cannot tell what other name 129to give their inferior deities, which, as they say, attend on their owleys) tell them in their dreams what ought to be done, or warn them of what ought to be avoided; more especially after a sacrifice, or a prayer to God, and an invocation of this demon. I well remember our discourse this evening turned principally upon this topic. The next morning deaan Murnanzack came to me as I was alone, and discoursed very freely with me about several things; and in particular he advised me to take what beef I wanted, and could carry with me; for we should have no more opportunities of killing any wild cattle. Observing him fond of conversation, I told him, if there were any dependance on dreams, as some had asserted the night before, I should incur his anger that day; having dreamt that I was at home with my parents, and all my relations round about me; that my pockets were full of gold, and they added still to my store. This, I said, did not only throw me into a melancholy when I awaked, to find myself naked in a wood and in a strange country, but it likewise gave me some concern, for that I had always observed, not only when I was a lad in England, but since under my master Mevarrow, that to dream of plenty of gold money was a certain indication of anger. At this deaan Murnanzack smiled, and made answer, “I wonder that you, who laughed but last night at the talk of God’s sending dreams by the good demons, should today be afraid of one.” “However,” says he, “I dare say you will be once mistaken; for I don’t know any thing you can do to make me angry.” I would not have my reader imagine, that I have introduced this story, merely for the sake of telling an idle dream; but it proved the introduction to something very remarkable, and furnished us with a discourse the next evening, that may possibly be thought an agreeable amusement.

The next day we roasted our beef and laid it to cool, in order to bind up in a burden, which we called an enter, to carry at our backs. All I had to do, was to provide for myself, and what with my beef and honey I was pretty well loaded, and as well contented, for I 130lived in plenty; my honey, likewise, mingled with water, made a pleasant drink. This was the last day of our passage through these groves and habitations of the wild cattle; some of which they attempted once more to surround, more for the sake of their diversion than want of beef: and in this, not wilfully, but for want of knowledge, I spoiled all their sport, by traversing the way they were running, which was directly towards the place where deaan Murnanzack lay in ambush for them. This made them run quite another way, and put him into such a violent passion at first, that he lifted up his lance, and frowning, threatened to kill me, and, indeed, I expected no less, which made me get out of his sight as soon as possible, being apprehensive of some such barbarous treatment as I had before met with from deaan Mevarrow. This prince, however, was of a more generous disposition; for when his passion was over, he sent for me in a very courteous manner, and desired I would spend the evening with him as usual, and sit down by him, which, accordingly, I did. After we had discoursed on a variety of subjects, he, at last, pressed me to give him some account of the customs of my country, and in a more particular manner to inform him, what god or gods we worship, since I seemed to have so little veneration for theirs; and that I would be ingenuous, and tell him, as I had been a great traveller, what things I had seen, in order to improve the evening to the best advantage. “And pray,” says he, “what God is that you adore?” Upon this the company drew round me, and I began by asking them in the first place, if they were not satisfied that there was a God above the skies? I could not say above the heavens, because there was no term in their language expressive of them; nor had they, as I could perceive, any idea of what we christians mean by heaven, as the peculiar residence of the Almighty, and the glorious mansions of the saints after their decease. They told me that they firmly believed there was a God above, who was the supreme Lord of all other gods, demons, or spirits, of what nature or kind soever. “That very 131God,” said I, “is the deity we adore, for we know of no other God, nor do we pay the tribute of divine worship to any other object than this one—this supreme and only God.” “Do not you then,” said they, “make prayers and sacrifices, and invoke some guardian demons to assist you in the knowledge of the will of that God; and to warn you of any approaching dangers? If your countrymen had such owleys as ours, your good demons would have assisted you that night you lay upon the sands, and have told you in dreams of the danger, and directed you to escape before the morning.”

To this I replied, “that all good men in England acknowledged an overruling Providence; and I am fully persuaded, that it was by the providence of that divine power that I was preserved at that time; and why God did not see fit that the rest should save their lives, is a secret I do not pretend to pry into; but I cannot conceive that your owleys, to which you seem to pay a divine homage, and pray to for their aid and assistance, should have a spirit or a god within them; or visit you in the night when you are asleep, and forewarn you of such misfortunes as you would willingly avoid. I plainly perceive, that they are nothing more than pieces of wood, and alligators’ teeth dressed up; I plainly discern, likewise, how they are made; and I am certain that other wood, and other alligators’ teeth are not living spirits, have no power of speech, and are incapable of knowing things present, much less things to come; for which reason, we look upon it as an act of idolatry to pay that adoration, which belongs to the great God alone, to any created thing, or the likeness of any created thing above, or here below, since he has strictly forbid the worship of any thing but himself.”

Deaan Murnanzack listened to this serious discourse of mine with abundance of attention, and then turned to some of his people and argued with them for some time; partly in vindication of what I had asserted, and partly in endeavouring to explain to them the nature of their owleys, which I am sensible I had not a just notion of at that time. But I was too young when first 132I was reduced to this slavery, and had neither friends nor books to assist me; besides, I was not capable of making such just remarks then, as I could do now.

But, to proceed; as soon as the deaan had done discoursing with them, he turned again to me and said, “To me it seems very strange, that you, who, but this very morning, told me a dream of your own, and found it happened true, should argue against these owleys of ours; for you mistake us; it is not the wood, nor the alligators’ teeth that we worship; but there are certain guardian demons, who take care of all nations, families, and private persons; and should you be possessed of one of these owleys, and give it the name of some guardian spirit, it will undoubtedly attend you; for how could you know this morning that I should be angry with you, had not one of these good demons visited you and discovered it; and if you had not had such friendly notice, you might, probably, have been killed, though I did not design it; but men’s passions are unruly, and I was highly provoked, I own, though I say not this to reproach you, as if I imagined you wilfully spoiled our sport, for I am fully satisfied you meant no harm. I only mention this to put you in mind that you argue against yourself; besides, if the spirits of our forefathers, or these guardian demons did not declare these to mankind, how should they know them? No one could tell that I should be angry with you, when you had given me no offence; neither did you intend to provoke me, and nothing was done that any such accident should have happened. You do not imagine, I hope, that the great God himself came down to tell you, since these inferior spirits, of whom there are such numbers, could more conveniently attend you. But you observed just now, as I remember, that the great supreme God had forbid you the worship of any thing but himself. Pray did any white man ever see this great God above? or does he often condescend to talk with your people, and not with ours?”

To which I made answer, that no man ever saw God, but some of our forefathers, many ages ago, heard his 133voice when he descended in a cloud. “But,” says he, “if this was so many years ago, and there is no man now living, black or white, that ever heard the voice of this God, how are you sure it is true? And since, as you allow it was many ages ago, things may be so altered or misrepresented from what they were when your first forefathers told them, that you cannot rely upon their certainty.” I was here at some loss, as they had no knowledge of letters, and consequently, I could not make them comprehend any thing of the sacred scriptures; I only told them, therefore, that we had a way of preserving the memory of things, which they were wholly unacquainted with; and by that means, I said, we had an account of the beginning of the world, and of its creation by God, and that I could tell them a great many strange things in relation thereto, which they then seemed very desirous of hearing.

And, accordingly, I told them that the world was originally dark, and a confused chaos or mass; and that God, by the word of his power, made the sun and moon, the beasts, fish, fowl, trees, herbs, and every thing else. They still persisted in their first objection, and as they imagined with much more reason than before; “for,” said one of them, “though it is possible you may have a better method of preserving the memory of things than we have, yet you could never have the knowledge of what was done before there was any man created.” To this I replied, that God hath revealed the knowledge of this, and much more to particular persons; which, they listening attentively to, I went on to the creation of man, and then of woman’s being made out of a rib, which God took from him while he was asleep. At this they all broke out into astonishment and laughter; and deaan Murnanzack said it was a manifest untruth, and that, therefore, it was a shame to tell such a story with a serious countenance; by this, he said, he was convinced that all the rest was false; for, were this true, a woman would have a rib more than a man, and a man be defective on one side.

134Here I was guilty of a gross error through ignorance; however, I think myself obliged ingenuously to confess it. I hope our divines and all good christians will consider the circumstances I was in, and readily forgive me; for I had so little wit, as peremptorily to insist on the truth of it, and affirmed what I had heard, when a child, from illiterate persons, that a man had one rib less on one side than the other; nay, I had so much assurance as to put the whole argument upon this issue, and offered to lay any wager on the fact. The prince laughed at me, though he was willing to be convinced; we had two women with us, one was very lean, whom he ordered to be called, her ribs were told and found to be equal; and after that, a man was examined, and his ribs were the same. They were not all of them, indeed, convinced of the exact number, nor could I myself, in attempting to count them after them. From this time, I perceived deaan Murnanzack treated all I had said on religion with contempt, and immediately resumed his former objection with more vigour, and said, that to talk of what was done before man was created, was perfect nonsense; that what I had asserted in relation to God’s conversing with men, and telling them such and such things, had no manner of evidence; and that the things I pretended to know and talk of, were, in short, nothing more than old women’s tales. “However,” says he, “pray go on, and give us some farther account of this God of yours, who, in former ages, was thus familiar with mankind.” Then I went on with the scripture story of God’s displeasure with the whole world, and the flood which destroyed all men and beasts on the earth, except those in the ark; and of Noah’s taking male and female of every species into it to preserve them. Upon this, one of them shortly replied, “if they had been all destroyed, could not that God who made them at first, make more of them at his pleasure?” But I went on and told them of the rainbow, that it was appointed for a sign of God’s promise not to drown the world again. To this deaan Murnanzack replied, that they had no such tradition handed down to them; “but 135besides,” says he, “if none but Noah, with his sons and daughters, were saved, pray was Noah a white or a black man?” To which I answered, “Sir, I perceive you give no credit to what I say of this nature.” He said, “There are many things which I do not rightly understand, and shall be glad to be informed of; nay, I would give credit to any thing that a reasonable man can desire, but most of these things are no better than old women’s fictions, and I am fully persuaded that all white men will not talk thus idly as you do.” These were his very words, which he repeated several times, and with which this evening’s conference concluded. It was no small concern to me to find how the truth suffered by my weakness; but I was in hopes that deaan Murnanzack, who was a man of penetration, might consider that I was but a child when I left England, and for that reason, not well acquainted with the topics I undertook to explain.

The next day we went directly forwards, for we were then past all the wild cattle, and deaan Murnanzack therefore hastened homewards. About three in the afternoon, we came to a place where the road divided; here the prince halted, as I perceived, with no other view than to take his leave of me, ordering two men to conduct me and my cattle to his cow-keeper. Here we parted, and we lay that night near the banks of a river, which are the boundaries of deaan Murnanzack’s country, and leads into Madamvovo, the great river which runs through Anterndroea. To this place where I was going, all the cattle come to water. As we were passing through the woods, we met a company of men and women going to fetch water; they stopped and gazed at me with admiration, having never seen a white man before, asking those who accompanied me, who I was? and from whence I came? who waggishly told them they found me in the forest among the wild cattle, and intended to make a present of me to the prince. In order to carry on the jest, I ran towards the women, and talking gibberish, frightened one of them to that degree that she fell into such violent fits, that the rest 136had much to do to recover her, for which I was afterwards extremely sorry.

This wood extended from the river about seven miles, without any break or plain, till within a mile of the town. It was no small concern to me to think what a great way I had to drive my cattle to water every other day, but it did not prove so great a fatigue as I expected; for there being eight or ten of us, we took our turns, so that it came to each man’s turn but once in about sixteen or twenty days; besides, as there was no grass by the way, there was no impediment or interruption; and when they returned hungry, they would go home fast enough of themselves.

As the people here had never seen a white man before, I was a very surprising sight to them at first; but they were soon acquainted with me, and I became of singular service to them: for whenever they had an ox to kill they were obliged, till now, to go a great way for one of the royal family; this trouble I saved them, and lived very plentifully myself by that means. I was frequently sent for upon these occasions, and had always my fee, which was four or five ribs to carry home with me, besides the leg roasted for my entertainment whilst I was with them. I seldom went without a boy to wait on me, as there were always several at hand, and willing enough, because I was able to oblige them with part of my beef. I had also sufficient to live like those who are free and generous, in communicating some portion of whatever they have to their neighbours. As soon as I came home, I used to put on the pot, and send messes out to all my acquaintance, which they did not fail to return when in their power: and it may be observed in the whole course of this history, that all the people of this island delight in this free, good-natured, and sociable way of living.

Whenever I was sent for, the house was always set in order, the owley dressed, and placed in view. I was frequently employed to kill a sacrifice, in case of a circumcision, or when any one was sick; and since I had the conference above related with deaan Murnanzack, 137I had the curiosity to listen to their prayers; and more than once I attempted to speak in favour of the christian religion. When I mentioned the resurrection of the body, they told me it must be a mere romance; and to talk as I did of burning in fire after death, was to them inconceivable; for (said they) no man can feel after he is dead, and unless they could see some person raised from the grave, they would give no credit to my assertion. I told them farther of God’s appearing, and giving the ten commandments, but it had no influence over them; “for” (said they) “all mankind have the purport and meaning of them by the dictates of nature.”

Here are laws against adultery, theft, and murder; and they have such a veneration for their parents, that they revere them even after death; there is also a fine inflicted on any one who shall presume to curse another man’s parents. They never swear profanely, but allow oaths sometimes requisite, because, as they said, they were necessary and convenient; and men could not live one by another if there were not such laws; and for that reason there was no occasion for the great God himself to prescribe those rules. The fourth commandment, indeed, they seem to have no idea of; unless it be that they allow even their slaves to spend one day in seven, as they think proper, without control; but they have no religious duties to perform. And when informed that we kept it holy, because God rested on the seventh day, they said this was as improbable as any thing I had before asserted; and asked, how I could tell what God did before there was a man living? And indeed, I could plainly perceive that they despised me for talking of these things, and looked on me as a common notorious liar, insomuch that I was obliged to desist.

In short, I had no way to prove what I asserted: and that mistake in regard to the rib, in my conversation with deaan Murnanzack, was a mortifying stroke to me; and though at first I imagined my ill success in the argument was wholly to be imputed to my own 138ignorance, I have since had a thousand scrupulous thoughts arise in my mind upon that head. And sure I am, that all was not owing to my weakness, for our divines have not furnished us with sufficient arguments to defend it. And I do not know, since miracles are ceased, but they would find it a difficult task to demonstrate those truths themselves to these people’s satisfaction. Nor do I know what miracle could possibly now be wrought to prove what was done before any mortal man was in being. Though they are fools enough here to be imposed on by the umossees, or conjurors, yet they will entertain no notion of conversing with the great God. They allow, indeed, that there are demons or spirits, which may be good or bad, who appear to them in dreams, and discover to these umossees many surprising things; yet they do not look upon them to be more pious or better men than others, though, indeed, they imagine they are more knowing. The awe, however, that my education has impressed on my mind prevented me from joining in their worship, lest it should be idolatrous; and there never was such a thing as persecution for religion ever thought of amongst them; so that I was free to think and do as I thought proper, so long as I took care not to affront them: and I think it is both a shame and a sin that it should be countenanced or practised by any sect of christians whatsoever. I have not here forgot deaan Mevarrow’s threatening to kill me at first; but it must be observed there was nothing more in that transaction than a secret pride and ill-nature peculiar to the man; as appeared by deaan Sambo’s preventing him, and reconciling us, without laying me under any obligation to join in the ceremony.

I had not lived here above six weeks, before I heard that deaan Crindo had attacked Rer Mimebolambo’s town, and reduced it to ashes, killing two men, and taking some of their wives and children captive, with almost their whole stock of cattle. This ill news affected me very much, notwithstanding deaan Mevarrow had several times in his passion attempted to kill me, yet 139living so long in his family I could not but be concerned at their misfortunes. We used to have here a great deal of flying news with respect to their wars; one day an account of a battle fought, and the next day a contradiction of it; their reports being as little to be relied on as some of our common newspapers at London, so that I paid but little regard to them. Besides, we lived here at a distance in peace and plenty, and heard now and then, perhaps, of the losses sustained by our friends: however, as we felt none of the miseries ourselves, they served us for conversation; in which we, like coffeehouse politicians, sleep in security remote from danger, censured the conduct of our superiors according to our several factious inclinations, for facts we knew little or nothing of, or at most, but by external appearances, and those too from very precarious reports. Our business was to make our lives as easy and happy as our circumstances would permit us; and among the many things which we met with to divert us, one, I think, will bear the relation; which was a project of my governor’s, and proved as profitable as it was entertaining.

There are some people in the remote parts of this country, whose habitations are in secret recesses in the woods; they live easy, indolent lives, never come near a town, nor concern themselves with any affairs of peace or war, either foreign or domestic. They keep no cattle, lest the vociferations of their herds or flocks might possibly betray them, and induce some evil-minded men to disturb their peace by plundering them of so valuable a treasure; but content themselves with small plantations and the product of nature, which is, indeed, sufficient to support them. They never concern themselves who is the lord of any particular place, or sovereign of the whole dominions. Deaan Murnanzack’s cow-keeper, my governor, formerly lived after this manner, and by that means was acquainted with some of their private settlements. As they are very illiterate, he imagined that I, being a man of a singular colour, might easily be imposed on them for a prince 140of Murnanzack’s family; as, indeed, many of our vulgar people in Europe are, who think the royal family are something more than mortal, and the nobility superior in beauty to the rest of the human species. In short, the farce was agreed to be played, and I was to have one third of what presents should be made us; he another, and the persons who composed my retinue the remainder. Accordingly they procured me a gay silk lamber, two or three strings of the most glittering beads for a necklace, and a gun of the best sort to carry on my shoulder; my assumed character was Rer Mimebolambo, who living in the most remote parts and far from them, there was little or no danger of a discovery, since none of them had ever seen any of the family in their lives. Twenty of our neighbours made up my retinue, and we practised or rehearsed our parts three or four days before we went, they waiting on me, and calling me by that name and title, that every one might be perfect, and know his cue. The plot in short was this:—