Narrative of the Voyages and Services of the Nemesis from 1840 to 1843: And of the Combined Naval and Military Operations in China: Comprising a Complete Account of the Colony of Hong-Kong and Remarks on the Character & Habits of the Chinese. Second EditionHall, W. H. (William Hutcheon), Sir
History
Narrative of the Voyages and Services of the Nemesis from 1840 to 1843: And of the Combined Naval and Military Operations in China: Comprising a Complete Account of the Colony of Hong-Kong and Remarks on the Character & Habits of the Chinese. Second Edition
Hall, W. H. (William Hutcheon), Sir
China -- History -- Opium War, 1840-1842; Hong Kong (China); Hong Kong (China) -- History; Nemesis (Steamer)
In the latter days of Abdallah's life, he appears to have met with
sad reverses; and, judging from the documents which I have been able
to examine, it would seem that his determined resistance to the
continuance of the slave-trade raised up enemies against him, not only
in his own islands, but in the more powerful one of Madagascar, and on
the coast of Africa itself. It is certain, also, that he was at all
times favourably regarded by the government of Bombay, for his services
to the Company's ships, and, as an acknowledgment of his assistance,
a present was sent to him every three years, of a small supply of
arms and ammunition. Abdallah's death was, however, at length brought
about, after suffering numerous hardships, by the treacherous and cruel
treatment of an emissary from Madagascar, or one of the more than
half-savage chiefs of that island, into whose hands he at length fell.
This is not the place to enter at large into the subject of Madagascar
history; it will be sufficient to remark that the present queen of that
country is a most cruel and tyrannical sovereign; that she sets little
value upon the lives or blood of her subjects, and that she is supposed
to have poisoned her predecessor, the late King Radaman; further, that
she did not succeed in winning the throne without sacrificing most of
the chiefs who were opposed to her, and that she has since contrived
to bring under her subjection many who were formerly independent
governors, or chiefs, of the territory they severally occupied. Those
who take an interest in missionary enterprises will also have heard of
the dreadful cruelties she has exercised upon those unhappy men within
her territories, most of whom were barbarously put to death, some in
her presence, and partly, it is said, by her own hand. Only one or two
of them escaped from the island.
[Illustration:
CHART
Shewing the
TRACKS of the NEMESIS
W. H. HALL, R.N. COM^R.
1841.
Published by H. Colburn 13 Gr^t. Marlborough Street, 1845.
Isaac Purdy Sculp^t.
]
It was not unnatural, under these circumstances, that one or more of
the chiefs of the island should have taken refuge in the neighbouring
islands of Johanna and Mohilla. Accordingly, so long ago as 1828,
a chief, called Raymanytek, who had been governor of an important
province in Madagascar under the old king, and was said by some to be
his brother, came over to Johanna with about one hundred followers, and
represented to Sultan Abdallah, that he had made his escape from his
own country, through fear of the queen, who sought his life, (probably
he had tried to get possession of the chief authority himself,) and
that, as he understood the inhabitants of the Comoro Islands were
allies of the English, _as well as himself_, he came there to beg for
an asylum. There was something very suspicious in his story; but,
nevertheless, Abdallah received him in a very friendly manner, placing
a house and lands at his disposal, and shewing him other civilities.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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