Some few days after we were got home the two Amboer-lambo ambassadors, who were at Moherbo, being on their return into their own country, and passing through our town, Rer Vove prevailed on them to stay a night with him, and allotted them a commodious apartment, to which they invited me, and seated me on their own mat between them. Their curiosity, they said, led them to inquire after the manners and customs of my country in general, and of my own adventures in particular. I gratified them in the best manner I could, or rather so as they were best capable of understanding me. For as to the largeness and grandeur of our court, city, fleets, armies, &c., on all which I expatiated, they would give no credit to it, and looked upon it only as a mere romance. In my turn I asked them where their country lay. They told me it was a mountainous inland place, divided into two kingdoms, called Amboer-lambo, which were governed by two brothers. They had vast large ears, with silver plates in them that glittered like comets. I was very desirous to know how they came so. They informed me that when they are young a small hole only is made at first and a piece of lead put into it; when the wound is healed they have a small spring-ring put into it, which extends it by degrees, and after this another, till the hole is as large as they think convenient; then they place these silver plates in it, which are neatly made, and exactly fitted to the hole, with great precaution for fear of breaking it. Some of these holes in their ears are so large, that a woman may put her hand through it. They have several artificers among themselves who make these ornaments. The poorer sort, they said, who could not afford silver, had them of tutanag; which they call ferochfutey. They came into this country to trade chiefly in iron, of which they make abundance; however, they bring great quantities of silk likewise. Their vallies are very foggy and marshy, unwholesome for cattle, and not fit to be inhabited, so that they buy cattle. The mountains are so stony, that they have scarcely earth sufficient for the foundations of their houses. They told me moreover, that Rer Trimmonongarevo will not sell them any guns, nor suffer his people to supply them with fire-arms. Before the Europeans had stocked the island with guns, they were too strong for the Saccalauvors in deaan Lohefute’s time; but this king is at present too powerful. They have (they said) a trade sometimes to Mattatanna and Antenosa; but not sufficient to furnish them with arms and ammunition. I observed, that metals of all kinds were commodities they dealt in.
Hitherto I lived pretty well; and indeed for about three months afterwards; at which time a ship came to Yong-Owl to trade. Her name (as I have since been informed) was the Clapham-galley, captain Wilks commander. Those who had slaves to sell carried them down to the seaside. My master was likewise preparing some for that purpose; the thought of it almost transported me, yet I could not tell how to make my request known. At length I made my application to my friend Guy, and having expostulated the case with him and his wife, I prevailed on him to solicit my master that I might be sent down and sold to the captain; he made the motion accordingly one evening in my absence. And it was happy for me that I was abroad, for had it not been for the mediation of some friends he would have found me out and shot me directly. As soon as I came to him he ordered me to deliver him my gun, saying, I was a prisoner of war, and a slave too; and he would make me know as much. As for Will. he was an unfortunate youth indeed, and was left by mere accident upon the shore; there is a wide difference between his case and yours. Upon which he called his cook; “Here, Mechorow,” said he, “take care of this white captive; and see that he, like other slaves, obeys your orders.” Mechorow did not fail to observe his instructions, and was the severer upon me, because there was a time when I had authority over him. He frequently made me carry an iron pot on my head, when Rer Vove and his wife took their pleasure on the islands in the middle of the river Mernee; where one while he would go to kill wild fowl, and at another to destroy alligators. But before the ship set sail I endeavoured to inform the captain by this stratagem. I took a satter-leaf, which was about two inches broad, and a foot and a half long, and marked upon it these words following. Robert Drury, son of Mr Drury, living at the King’s-Head in the Old Jewry; now a slave on the island of Madagascar in the country of Morandavo, or Yong-owl. I desired the favour of one who was going to the seaside to deliver this leaf to the first white man he saw; but when he returned I asked him what answer he had? “None at all,” said he, “for I suppose the white man did not like it, since he threw the leaf away; though I am sure it was as good, if not better, than that which you gave me. ’Tis true, I dropped yours, but then I pulled one of the best I could find from off a tree.” My heart was ready to break at this disappointment; whereupon I turned from him, and went directly into the woods to vent my grief in tears. I heard soon after, that Will. Thornbury was discharged; I was then in some hopes that by his means my redemption might be accomplished. But to my no small mortification I soon heard the ship had sailed, and not one word of me mentioned. This drove me almost to madness, and what could be the reason why the captain should take no notice of me, I cannot conceive; for Will. Thornbury, doubtless, would have mentioned me to him.
Not long after this I was taken with a violent pain in my bones; which at first I took for a cold. But it increased to that degree that I could not walk without crutches. This disease continued three months successively, and then I began to have large boils or blotches break out all over my body; my neighbours soon perceived it was the colah or yaws; and Rer Vove sent me to a Virzimber’s house on the banks of Mernee, in order for a cure. They took the bark of a tree, of which I do not recollect the name, steeping it in water. With this they washed and bathed me every day, which in a few weeks made my bones much easier; and in a few weeks more the blotches died, and wore away; after which I recovered my strength apace. I lived with these Virzimbers in all about six months.
These people are almost of a different species from the others. Their heads are of a peculiar shape, the hinder part and the forehead are almost as flat as a trencher: but this I imagine to be unnatural, for it is framed thus by a daily pressure of their children from the cradle. Their hair is neither so long nor so woolly as that of the other nations. Their religion, likewise, is widely distant from other people’s. They have no owleys in their houses, but pay an awful regard to the new moon, and to several animals; namely, a cock, a lizard, and the like. Whether they think these creatures have spirits or not, or demons that attend them, I cannot determine; for whenever they discoursed among themselves, it was in a peculiar language, to which I was so much a stranger, that I was not able to give a sufficient reason for these particulars. When they seat themselves to their meals, they take a bit of meat, and throw it over their heads, saying, “There’s a bit for the spirit.” In the next place, they cut four little bits more and throw to the sovereigns or rulers of the four quarters of the earth. This is the constant practice of such as have any regard to religious ceremonies, but there are too many who neglect it, as some in Europe, and look on saying grace at their meals, as an idle fashion. They dress their victuals much more agreeably than the other people; for they always boil plantains or potatoes with their meat, and make good soup, and well thickened as they do in Europe.
They make curious earthenware, such as pots, dishes, and jugs, glazing them both within and without; and are very ingenious artificers in many other particulars. Though their ingenuity was superior, yet I could not perceive they ever formed themselves into regular kingdoms, or into large commonwealths, but herded together in towns; each town being a distinct and independent republic, which too often produced quarrels and bloodshed, one little town standing in opposition to another. There being no general law or government which could settle their just claims, or determine any unhappy dissensions between one town and another; till they in this part made Rer Trimmonongarevo their patron and protector, whilst others put their whole confidence in deaan Tokeoffu. There are more of them as I have heard, in other parts of the island, scattered up and down, who shift their habitations; which these were wont to do formerly. ’Tis no easy matter to determine whether these are not the original natives, or first inhabitants of the land. I observed here, that difference in religion was looked upon as no crime, nor any offence to one another. Moreover, that they, like the others, have no priests.
Having now in great measure recovered my strength, I began to reflect on the misery of returning to my former slavery; and for that reason, after some conflict with myself, I determined to run the risk of throwing myself at Rer Moume’s feet, to beg his protection, be the consequence what it would; death being preferable to perpetual slavery. Having imbibed this notion, I desired my landlord one morning to put me over the water in his canoe; for I would willingly pay a visit to a friend on that side, it not being above two hours’ walk to Rer Moume’s town.
At my arrival I found him sitting under a kind of pent-house, with his wives round about him. I laid down, and licked his feet, then rising upon my knees, I lifted up my hands, and sued to him for mercy and protection from the ill treatment of my master Rer Vove; he having made the most abject slave of me, for only desiring a friend to beg of him to sell me (not to make a present of me) to my own countrymen; that I might see my dear parents once more, from whom I had been absent so many years. My master insisted that I was his slave, his prisoner of war, though I was there no otherwise than Will. was here, a poor unhappy creature wandering about till I could find an opportunity to get to my native country, and was no enemy of his, neither was I taken in arms. Should you deliver me up to him, he would doubtless kill me, and there will be an end of all my sorrows; but I live in hopes of finding mercy from you. I soon perceived that my mournful tale affected him; for the tears stood in his eyes, and some of the women actually wept. He bid me rise, and be assured that he would not deliver me up to Rer Vove. “Should my kinsman (says he) want slaves to do his work (though I know the contrary) I will send him two or three in your stead. Be not afraid, I will both protect and provide for you.” Then turning to one of his consorts, “Here Ry Anzacker,” says he, “do you from henceforth be Robin’s mother; and take care he wants for nothing. All I shall desire of you (said he to me) will be to look after my chest of arms, which are a hundred or more in number; and see that my flints and shot are all kept in order, and you shall have servants too to do the work.” Then calling a slave, he gave him directions to build me a house next to my mother’s within the palisade. In two days I was a housekeeper. Ry Anzacker proved very kind to me, and I never walked out without my gun in my hand like a freeman.
In a few days after several messengers came from Rer Vove to Rer Moume. I was by when, in their lord’s name, they demanded his white slave. Rer Moume examined them first, to know if what I had told was matter of fact; and when he found it was, “I am sorry (said he) my kinsman is so rash and thoughtless a young man to act after this manner. Did any one ever see before a white man a slave to a black man’s cook-slave; unless it was among the worst of brutes in that unpolished country Anterndroea? It was a very unjust thing to force him from Feraignher; and when he was here, it would have been the part of a wise and honest man to have presented Robin to the English captain, and made a merit of taking care of him. In so doing he had done a generous action, and it would have reflected an honour on himself, and on us all. He should recollect the many benefits we have received from the English, and that we were insulted by all our neighbours, till they furnished us with arms. Here, take this woman-slave, and give her to him; she is able to do more service than Robin, in case he wants work from him. As for my part, I shall make no slave of him, I’ll assure you; he may go when he will, and live where he will; even with Rer Vove, if he thinks proper; and does not care to live with me. However, I shall not consent to that, unless I am well satisfied of his being more courteously treated. Here, take the woman in his stead.” They came again the next day with the woman, and renewed their yesterday’s demand; to which he gave an answer in direct terms, that they should not have me.
I was treated here in a most courteous manner by all the king’s wives; but particularly by my mother, Ry Anzacker; they taking great delight in the many stories I told them of my misfortunes and adventures. I used frequently to go with Rer Moume to a spacious lake which had islands in it, several miles round, called the Kereendea. This place was formerly drowned by the Mernee’s breaking its banks. Rer Moume was always carried in a vehicle, not much unlike a sedan; and had a canoe large enough to hold twenty men, in which was a seat made on purpose for him, he not being able to sit, as other people did, upon the floor. Several other canoes of ten and five hands, and some small ones of two, used to accompany him. Our principal employments were fishing and fowling; in which the Virzimbers are very dexterous, making nets of various kinds, and also fishhooks for angling, which was Rer Moume’s favourite diversion. His son, Rer Chulu, would often divert himself with killing alligators; and the weapon he generally used was a harpoon, with a head fixed on it, and a rope fastened to the steel and staff both. Being thus furnished with tackle, they paddle along the water towards the alligator, whom they generally espy at a distance; for they keep their noses above water, and appear like a floating cake of cowdung. When they come within ten or a dozen yards of him, he sinks to the bottom, and crawls a good way before he stops; but his path is discovered by a bubble that rises up, and where it stands they strike; for they will lie flat on their bellies with their sides pressed out, where they hear a noise; so that they are often stabbed with the harpoon. Though should it light on their backs, or heads, it will make no more impression than it would on a rock. The Virzimbers make a net of ropes, with large meshes, and with these they sometimes take them; they also take them with snares made of spring-sticks, which draw up a noose in a rope; these they place at the mouth of a rivulet, or small canal. And by these methods I have known Rer Chulu and his company kill twenty or thirty alligators in a day.
Rer Moume made me a present of three cows, which calved in four months. He asked me why I did not marry? I told him I could not well maintain a wife, and that at present I lived very well, and much better than I could with a woman to provide for. He said, it was not looked upon as decent for a man to live single; and as for her maintenance, I’ll not only put it in your power to do that, but recommend one to you likewise. So as I perceived he was serious, I was soon persuaded; but with this proviso, that he should not compel the woman, but ask her consent, and leave it to her own choice; to which he readily agreed. So sending for one who was an attendant on my mother, he opened the case to her and told her she should be my wife if she thought fit; and bid her speak her mind freely; for he did not intend she should submit to it through any compulsion. But with an air of cheerfulness she said she approved of the motion. Upon this Ry Anzacker took her back again, to dress her up very fine with beads, and a new silk lamber, &c., and presented her to me. I desired that the prince would make a formal marriage of it, by taking hold of her hand first; and then asking us both, if we gave our mutual consent? And then by giving her hand into mine: all which he readily gratified me in, with abundance of affability and good nature, and was very merry; as the women were, likewise, according to custom on such occasions. The ladies attended us home, but not empty handed; for they gave us a large quantity of such kind of furniture as we principally wanted. The prince too gave me the day following a plantation with rice and potatoes, &c. growing upon it, and fit to dig. He gave me, moreover, a slave, a boy about sixteen years of age; and in a short time, he sent me with others to fetch away some cattle from a man, who, upon examination before him, had been found guilty of stealing several from his neighbours; for which facts he was fined twenty beeves. This was the first time I was ever sent on such an errand, though not the last; and people of the best rank are fond of this employment; for they never fail of a good present for their trouble. He gave me, likewise, a cow with her calf, and a young bull of three years old. Whenever I went on any such occasions afterwards, I never had less than one beast for my labour, and sometimes two; so that I grew rich and sent most of my cattle four miles off, agreeing with a man to give him the tithe calf of such as he should rear for me, keeping three cows only at home for milk. So that now I lived as happily as the country could afford me; nay, so much to my satisfaction, that had I not a desire to see my parents once again, I question whether I should ever have taken any pains to get to England; and even when I wished for it, I was perfectly easy; since I was assured that Will. Thornbury would inform my friends where I was, and how the world went with me.