Memoirs and Travels of Mauritius Augustus Count de Benyowsky: Consisting of His Military Operations in Poland, His Exile Into Kamchatka ... with an Account of the French Settlement He was Appointed to Form Upon the Island of Madagascar, Written by Himself, Volume 2

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G. G. J. and J. Robinson, 1790
 

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Page 91 - and he received me," says the count, " with cordiality and distinction, and proposed to me to enter the service of his master, with the offer of a regiment of infantry ; which I accepted, on condition that his majesty would be pleased to employ me in forming establishment* beyond the Cape.
Page 64 - There are reputed sorcerers or diviners here, who have a great influence over the people. Their religion consists in adoring one God, and in the performance of good offices to their neighbours. The provinces which are not conquered, are governed by Princes or Kings, who have an absolute power over their subjects. None of these last, without any exception of the great men, has any property in the lands.
Page 357 - Thefe orders preferve a regular gradation, refpefting which it •would be very difficult to give a detailed account. They live in the manner we read of concerning the ancient patriarchs. Every father of a family is prieft and judge in his own...
Page 63 - Formofa are cloathed only in blue cotton cloth ; the towns are always built in the plains ; and the villages are upon the mountains. The houfes of people of condition among them are extenfive and beautiful, but plain.
Page 36 - Spaniard informed me, that the canoe we saw rowing towards us, was filled with our enemies. My associates waited for no orders, but rushed on board the boats, and attacked them. Their first discharge slew thirteen, and the others they immediately brought on board, and hung at the yard-arm. I represented to them that this execution was enough, and that it was prudent to terminate our warfare here ; but, alas ! I preached to the deaf. They persisted in their determination to go in quest of the Indians,...
Page 354 - ... beast, which is generally thrown into the fire, is not intended in honour of the devil, as is usually pretended. This custom is very ancient, and no one can tell the true reason of it. With regard to the immortality of the soul, the Madagascar people are persuaded, that, after their death, their spirit will return again to the region in which Zanhare dwells ; but they by no means admit that the spirit of man, after his death, can suffer any evil. As to the...
Page 47 - ... certain sum, with other advantages ? 6. That after having received my answer, he should propose to me to enter into a permanent treaty of friendship with him? These questions appeared to me, to be the work of Don Hieronimo ; though he would never acknowledge that they sprung from his brain. — My answer was as follows : 1. That having a very long voyage to make, I could not leave any of my people behind me. 2. That it was in my power to bring armed troops and cannon along with me ; but that...
Page 49 - After this we threw our fire upon the ground, and thrust our sabres in the ground up to the hilts. The assistants immediately brought a quantity of large stones, with which they covered our arms, and the Prince then embraced me, and declared that he acknowledged me as his brother. On our return to his tent, he caused a complete habit, made according to the fashion of the country, to be brought, with which I was cloathed ; and in this manner we set out for the camp of the Prince, where we were received...
Page 34 - ... he was attacked by twenty Indians, who shot at him with arrows ; that Popow was one of the first who fell dead ; and that afterwards Panow and Loginow fell, and all the others were wounded ; and that certainly not one of them could have escaped, if Volinsky and Andre had not fired at the islanders from the canoe, into which they had retired. They added, that they dared not return on board and abandon Mr. Panow, who from time to time gave signs of life, as well as Mr. Loginow. They were in this...

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