They bear no Sort of Hatred or Antipathy to Christians, as Christians, as we see the Turks and most of the Sects of Mahomet do; but the Truth on't is, they do not know what a Christian is, yet (as we observed before) they are bred up in a Notion that white Men are all a Kind of Monsters, and they hate and detest them, as we do Toads or other poisonous Creatures, not for their Religion, but their Colour. In Respect to one another they observe the Laws of Society very well, and perhaps there is less Fraud and fewer Acts of Injustice committed amongst them, than in any Christian Country we can name. So that our Molotto who was now in a Manner naturaliz'd amongst them, and whose Complexion was black enough not to appear odious and terrible to them, was as well used as the rest of the Passaus or Guards, or any other Person of equal Rank with him.
It is certain he once flattered himself with the Hopes of being placed in a better Condition of Life amongst them, or being set at full Liberty, by Way of Recompence, for his instructing them in some useful Things, which proved of public Advantage to them, but he had long laid aside those vain Thoughts, for he found the Accabo had no Notion of Generosity, or Gratitude: He, therefore, with a Kind of Philosophy, seem'd to confine his Wishes to that melancholy quiet Life he was obliged to lead within the Limits of the Moorzacks, till an Accident fell out, which quite changed his Sentiments in this Respect, and which proves how natural the Love of Liberty is to Man.
It happened that the Hamman or Governor of the Town of Saeni, a Place about twenty Leagues to the Eastward of Magadoxa, in the same Kingdom of Zanguebar, having committed some Violences, by which he got the ill Will of the People, they rose against him, and kill'd him. This News was no sooner brought to Magadoxa, than the Accabo, tho’ he keeps no Army or Guards, except the Passaus to watch the Moorzacks, immediately rais'd a Body of two thousand Men, arm'd with Bows and Arrows, and march'd in Person at the Head of them, to suppress the Rebels. The second Days March, Advice was brought him that the Schabew or Ship had been seen near a little Town call'd Bandan, ten Leagues Eastward of Saeni, and thirty of Magadoxa: Upon which Intelligence, he forthwith commanded six Men to march back to the Moorzacks as expeditiously as they could, in order to fetch our Molotto, and with him to join the Army as soon as they could. They found him upon his Duty, and commanded him to march away immediately, with his Bow and Arrows, which were the Arms that belonged to him, as a Passau or Guard of the Moorzacks, so that he seem'd to march as a Soldier more than a Prisoner.
After two Days hard March they came up with the Army which had made a Halt, at some Distance from the Town of Saeni, and the Accabo having sent out a Detachment to lie in Ambuscade near the Town, they took some Prisoners, who being brought in, declared that all the Inhabitants had abandoned the Town upon the News of the King's Approach, and were fled away for Fear. At the same Time they gave such Instances of the Tyranny of the late Hamman or Governor, and of the Necessity they were under of doing as they did, that the King appeared satisfied with their Behaviour; and to lay aside all Resentment, ordered several of them to go and find out the Rest, and give them Notice, that they might return to their Habitations, for that all was pardon'd, and that he would send them a better Governor. And, as if all had been over, the next Day he began to move with his Army back towards Magadoxa, but marched extreamly slow; towards Night, they came near a great Wood, into which he commanded his whole Army to enter, in order to lie that Night; the next Morning he gave Orders that no Man upon Pain of Death should go out of the Wood.
In the mean Time the scattered Inhabitants of Saeni having heard the good News, were returning to their Habitations; but no sooner was it dark that Night, but the Accabo gave Orders for a March, and making all the Expedition they could, they silently enter'd the Town of Saeni before Morning, while the Inhabitants newly return'd were all asleep; however, they were alarm'd, and running into the Streets, the Accabo commanded his Men to fall upon them, who killed a great Number of them, whilst a great many favoured by the Darkness of the Night, had the good Luck to make their Escape; but of those that could not escape by Flight, there were only forty three made Prisoners, all the Rest being kill'd.
Our Molotto happen'd to fall into Discourse with one of these Prisoners, who lamenting the hard Fate, of his poor Townsmen, and giving him an Account of their Flight from the City, and their Return back, told him, that as they went near the Sea-side, about ten Leagues from thence, and a League or two from Bandon, they saw a Schabew or Ship, and so described him the Way to the Place where she lay; the Molotto perceiv'd it was directly East of the Place they were then at, viz. Saeni, he ask'd several Questions concerning the Size of the Ship, the Prisoner answer'd him to the best of his Understanding; and in his Manner of describing her, gave the Molotto to understand, that her Yards and Topmasts were down, which was a Sign she designed to lye there some Time; he then desired to know of him when he had seen her last, he answered him two Days before.
It immediately came into his Head that Providence had now given him the Means of making his Escape, and that in all Probability if he miss'd this, he never would have an Opportunity more; he knew that nothing could hinder him from making off by Night, and that in all Probability, he would be gone several Hours before he should be miss'd; so that he flattered himself, that those who should be sent in Pursuit of him would never overtake him, tho’ they should hit the right Way, and he thought it might very well happen they should be out there too.
All that Day he pass'd betwixt Hope and Fear, sometimes he was terrified at the dismal Apprehensions of losing his Way himself, or of the Ship's being sail'd off, in either of which Cases there was nothing for him but certain Destruction, for he could have no Chance of concealing himself in the Country as a Native might do. — On the other Side, he spirited himself up with an Assurance that the Ship could not be yet sail'd, having her Yards and Topmasts down but two Days before; and again, that he knew so well how the Place bore, that there could be no Danger of his losing his Way; so that that Day he did nothing but mark out the Way with his Eye, that he intended to go, at his first setting out.
As soon as all was silent that Night, and his Comrades (who were a Kind of Guards upon him) were all asleep, he ventured to set out, nor did he meet with any Frights or Interruptions at the Beginning, getting clear of the Army without being questioned, or so much as seen or heard of any; for as they knew nothing of military Discipline, they have no Centinels in the Night. He marched all Night with all his Might, for indeed it was for Life; in the Morning when the Day was clear, he saw a little Town about two Miles from him, he judg'd this to be the Town of Bandon, by the Description which the Prisoner gave him of it; he guessed now that he was near the Sea, and that it was nothing but the high Land before him, which hindered him from the Sight of it; he therefore set his best Foot forwards, to gain the Top of one of the Hills before him; when he reached the Top, he had a fair View of the Ocean, and looking stedfastly every Way, he fancied he saw something like a Ship Eastward, but it was so far off, it was scarce discernable, however, it revived his Heart, and he now thought himself safe; he also perceived a pretty large River, at some Distance below him, in the Valleys, which he must of Necessity pass, because it lay directly in his Way, but as he was expert at Swimming, this gave him no great Dread, therefore he made the best of his Way towards the said River; when he arrived at the Banks, he perceived it was so rapid, that he apprehended (he being a little weakened with the Fatigue of his Journey) the Current would be too strong for him, and carry him into the Sea; he thought therefore, there was no Way for him to get over, but to walk up further in the Country, to find a Place where the Course of the River was crooked, which always breaks the Rapidity of the Stream, and where he might cross with less Danger.
While he was considering on this Matter, he chanced to look about, and turning his Eyes upwards towards the Hill from whence he was newly descended, and which was now betwixt two and three Miles Distance from him, he saw six Men on the Top thereof; they seemed to stand still and look about them for a while, but suddenly they started forwards, and with great Precipitation made directly towards him; he could think no less than that they were some sent in Pursuit of him, and that their standing still at first, was to no other Purpose, than to try if they could see him, and that their discovering him, was the Occasion of their running so suddenly down the Hill afterwards. The Fear of the cruel Death he should suffer, in Case he should be taken, hinder'd