In the mean while a couple of Ships arrived at Yungowl (the Country of Timanangarivo) belonging to Frederick Phillips, of New York, to slave; but hearing the old King was dead, who had a great Respect for the Whites, and that Timanangarivo had cut off the Crew of a Brigantine, on Pretence that they had poison’d his Father Andian Lyfouchy, for he drunk on board her so much Brandy that he died of it; they would not stay here, but went farther on the Coast to look for Trade.
Andian Chimenatto spying them, caused a Smoak to be made, which brought one of their Boats on Shoar; Chimenatto received the Crew very civilly, and invited the Ships in, promising Trade.
The Commanders ask’d if he had Slaves? He said he had but few; however, if they would allow some of their Men to go with him to War, he would slave both Ships: They answered, that Timanangarivo his Brother, had murder’d some of their Countrymen, and they could put no Confidence in him; upon which he gave them the History of his Wars, said his Brother was a wicked Man for what he had done; but if they would send some Men with him, he would give his Wives and nearest Relations for Hostages, to be kept on board.
This was agreed to, and Chimenatto furnished them with as much fresh Provision as they could dispose of; twenty Whites went with him to War, and they took a Town and a great Number of Slaves, out of whom he ordered the Captain to pick and cull what they pleas’d; they asked the Price, he said, he required nothing, if they would let their Men go out once more. They went on a second Expedition, took several Towns, and brought down some thousand Slaves, beside great Droves of Cattle.
The two Ships took their Choice of about 6000 Slaves, which with fresh Provision, and Provision for their Voyage, cost them only 2 or 3 Barrels of Powder, and a few Arms.
The King told them, if they would leave those Men and come again, he would again slave them for nothing; the Men being willing to stay, the Ships sail’d, came again the next Season, were slaved according to Promise, and relieved those whites, such of them as would return, and left others, who were willing, in their Steads. With this Assistance Chimenatto soon conquered the Antylouts and Vaujimbos, and afterwards made himself Master of the whole Country of Methelage, of such Reputation are the Europeans among these People, for they who have a white Man on their Side go on as to certain Victory; and the Sight of a white Man against them is such a Damp to their Spirits, that despairing of Success, they are preparing for Flight before they engage.
But to return, besides the Present of Oxen, the King sent 100 Blacks laden with Rice. Cornelius sent him a Present of 2 Barrels of Powder, and would have given him more, with small Arms in Return, but he sent them Word he would have no more, nor any of their Arms, not being in Want of either; on the contrary, if they wanted he would send them ten Barrels of Powder, as they were his Children; bid them proceed on their Voyage, and if they were richer when they came back, and would send him any Present, he would accept it, but not now that they were poor.
Here Cornelius lost 70 Men by their Excesses, having been long without fresh Provision, the eating immoderately, drinking Toke (a Liquor made of Honey) to Excess, and being too free with the Women, they fell into violent Fevers, which carried them off.
The Blacks having given Cornelius an Account of the Speaker’s being sail’d from Methelage about three Months before for the East-Indies, he, having taken in his Provisions, steer’d the same Course, in Hopes to join in Consort with her; but the Speaker lying off the Red Sea, and the Morning Star going into the Gulf of Persia they never met: They run up a pretty Way in the Gulf, and lay under Antelope Island, where they kept a Look-out, and whence they made their Excursions, and took a Number of Prizes.
Here they designed to heave down and clean, and they had got a good Part of their Goods and Water Casks ashore, when the Look-out discovered two tall Ships, one of them wearing a Flag at the Foretop-Mast Head; this put them into a great Confusion, they got what Casks and Necessaries they could on board, and lay till the Ships came a-breast of them; then they got under Sail at once, their Sails being furl’d with Rope Yarns, and came close along-side the larger Ship, which was a Portuguese of 70 Guns, as the other was of 26; they exchanged a Broadside with her, and the smaller Ship engaged her so close, that they threw Hand Grenades into each other; but Cornelius’s Business was to run, and the great Ship put a Stays twice to follow him, but missing, was obliged to Ware, which gave the Pyrate a great Advantage; the small Ship in staying, tail’d aground, she, however, gave Chase till she had run a good Way a-head of her Consort, which the Pyrate seeing, brought to, and stay’d for her, as did the Portuguese for her Consort, not caring to engage him singly. When it was quite dark Cornelius ran up the other Shore, pass’d the Portuguese Ships (which kept down the Gulf) and came again to Anchor at his old Station, where he found his Enemies had been ashore in their Boats and staved his Casks; he here cleaned, and finding no Money to be got out of any Prizes made, and Bale Goods being of little Value to them, they from hence went away to the Island of Johanna, where it was designed to moroon the Blacks, who were the greater Number, and all bred among the English; Joseph Williams, fearing they would next moroon the English, who were not above a third of the whites, gave the Negroes Notice of the Design, who secured all the Arms of the Ship, and gave Williams the Command till they should get to Madagascar, keeping a good Guard on the French and Dutch. When they came to Methelage they gave the Ship to the King, her Bottom being eaten so much with the Worms, that she was no longer fit for Service; and they all went and lived with the new King Chimave, Son to Andian Chimenatto, who died before their Return: About five Months after they broke up, Cornelius died, and was buried with the usual Ceremony.