The captain after this went to Munnongaro, or Masseleege; there he saw Nicholas Dove, who was one of the boys shipwrecked in the Degrave, and saved in the massacre in Anterndroea; besides the opportunity he had of conversing with Mr Drury in their voyage to the West Indies, and after to England. To this we may add, the second voyage Mr Drury made was also in captain Macket’s service, though not in the ship under his command, he being a principal proprietor in captain White’s ship and cargo, as well as of his own and others. These circumstances were confirmed by the captain, who added, that he had seen others in his last voyage there, as well natives who spoke English, and knew Drury, as some who were saved by flight with captain Drummond and others, with this particular account, that this very captain Drummond was the man Mr Drury supposes him to be, and that he was killed at Tullea, seven leagues to the northward of Augustine-bay, by one Lewes, a Jamaica negro. Besides all this, and the captain’s continued friendship to him to the last, even our author himself, though in a lower station of life, was well known to many persons of probity and worth now in London, who frequently conversed with him while living, and who always esteemed him an innocent, inoffensive man, free from all artifice and design. As this was the character he had amongst his friends and acquaintance, we think it would be needless, if not impertinent, to doubt of his veracity in the relation of any one of his adventures, more especially after such substantial proofs for the truth hereof.
It is probable that the account here given of the religion of the natives of Madagascar, may by some be thought a mere fiction, and inserted with no other view than to advance some latitudinarian principles; but so widely distant is this from the real case, that the most to be suspected part of the conversation between deaan Murnanzack and Mr Drury, on divine topics, is real fact as here related; and the deaan’s ludicrous reflections on Adam’s rib, God’s converse with mankind, and his creation of the world in six days, and his resting the seventh, &c. his taking these things for Drury’s childish notions, and saying they were old women’s stories, were delivered in that prince’s own words. And if we consider the then circumstances of our author, that he was but fourteen years of age when he set out on this unfortunate voyage, his education at a grammar-school, and in the principles of the established church; and that ever since his arrival in England, and settlement in London, he has been firmly attached thereto, even to bigotry; it would be very weak and absurd to suppose him capable, or inclined to advance an imaginary conference with the deaan upon so serious a topic, with no other motive than to favour free-thinking, or natural religion, in opposition to that which was revealed, especially as they are points about which he scarcely ever concerned himself.
In all those places where religion, or the origin of governments are casually mentioned, there are interspersed some occasional reflections, which are not, properly speaking, the author’s, which is all the artifice made use of throughout the whole. It must be owned that topics so entertaining could not well be passed over, without making some proper and useful applications: yet no motive, how tempting soever, could prevail on the editor to alter any real fact, or add any one single fiction of his own. Every transaction here related, as likewise the character and conversation of every person introduced, are properly Mr Drury’s own.
The religion of the natives of Madagascar, some authors will have to be Mahometanism; but without any manner of grounds for such a conclusion, since it has no resemblance of it in any other particulars, than in circumcision, and abstaining from their women at certain times, which were common to some eastern nations long before the Jews had it; or, indeed, where there is no reason to imagine that the name of the Jews was once so much as heard of.
There are good grounds, on the other hand, to conjecture, that the Jews derived several of their religious ceremonies from them. For that their religion is much more ancient, is plain from several reasons. First, from their regard to dreams, and divining by them, which, by the Mosaic law, the Israelites were expressly forbidden. Secondly, from their shaving off their hair in mourning for their dead; whereas among the Jews the growth of it is strictly commanded, and as superstitiously observed to this day. Thirdly, from their sacrifices; as Moses commanded none but males to be sacrificed; so, on the contrary, cows are the greatest part of the Madagascar sacrifices, and are thought by these people to be the most acceptable oblations to their Supreme Deity. They have no burnt offerings but near their sepulchres, when occasionally opened, which, with the gums burnt with them, serve for a defence against all ill scents. Fourthly; but the most notable reason of all is, that the owley, which these Madagascar people make use of for their divinations, and procure their unusual or extraordinary dreams with, is manifestly the ephod and teraphim, made use of by the Levite who lodged in Micah’s house, as we read Judges xvii. and from which the Israelites could never be wholly brought off, though directly repugnant to the law of Moses, concerning which there seems to be no occasion for enlarging farther in this place.
That the people of Madagascar did not derive their religion from any learned or polite nation, is evident by their retaining no idea or remembrance of letters; nor their having a horse, or so necessary a machine as a wheel of any kind, either for carriage or use, which could never have been forgotten had they ever had them. That these Madagascar people came first from Africa, seems most probable by their colour; and perhaps from the Abyssines, or even from Egypt. The Virzimbers, indeed, by their woolly heads, must come from the more southern part of Africa. Deaan Toke-offu told captain Macket they had a tradition of their coming on the island many years ago in large canoes. But from wheresoever they came, it is manifest that their religion is the most ancient in the world, and not far from pure natural religion.
We may reflect with pleasure on the devotion of these people, who address the Supreme Being on every occasion for his aid and assistance when in necessity or distress; and with true piety and hearts full of gratitude return him their humble and unfeigned thanks for those blessings and benefits he confers upon them; yet have they no temples, no tabernacles, or groves for the public performance of their divine worship; neither have they solemn fasts, or festivals, or set days, or times, or priests to do it for them. But we may here observe, that as Melchizedeck was a king, and styled the priest of the most high God, (a phrase strictly correspondent to that of deaan Unghorray, the highest God,) so it is the practice of the Madagascar kings, or lords, to be themselves the performers of all religious offices. Their umossees or prophets, indeed, directed the making their owleys of particular roots, or woods, having, as they tell them, magical properties agreeing to the spirits; as also that they must be made at proper times.
There are two things in this history highly worthy of observation: one is, that there is a law among them against cursing a man’s parents. What a reproach is this to countries called christian, where there is no law or punishment against even those who have the impudence and impiety not only of cursing others, but their own parents. The other is, that such is their regard and reverence to the most high God, that they swear not profanely: but such is the profaneness of even our christian nation, that a man can hardly pass the streets (as archbishop Tillotson observes) without having his ears grated and pierced with horrid and blasphemous oaths and curses, as are enough, if we were guilty of no other sin, to sink a nation. These give reputation to the general character of these people, that where the Europeans or Mahometans have not corrupted them, they are very innocent, moral, and courteous; and more so, with shame be it spoken, than most nations, who have all the advantages of a liberal and christian education.
There is yet one observation more, which, we hope, will not be thought improper here; which is, that our author’s many deliverances are glorious and wonderful displays of the goodness and power of Divine Providence; and gave him, no doubt, an awakening sense of his obstinate disobedience to the will and entreaties of his tender parents and friends, who so much and often pressed him to lay aside those wilful resolutions of his first voyage to the East Indies; wherein we may see the marks both of divine displeasure and goodness, the first in his shipwreck and slavery, the other in his delivery or release from thence. All which may serve as a lesson to the youth of future generations to beware, lest by their disobedience and obstinate forcing of themselves from the care of their parents or friends, they bring upon themselves those miseries and misfortunes which occasion a too late repentance.
Much more might have been said on this occasion, but as we have not room, we refer our readers to the perusal of the book itself; in which, we presume, they will not only find an entertaining, but profitable amusement.