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 the 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 ingenious 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 other; 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 deaan 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 but 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 me 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 not 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.