They Were Born In The Island Of Meangis, Which Abounds In Gold,
Cloves, And Nutmegs, As He Afterwards Told Me.
He was curiously painted,
down the breast, behind, between the shoulders, and most of all on the
fore part of his thighs, in the nature of flower-work.
By what I could
understand, this painting was done by pricking the skin, and rubbing in
the gum of a tree called damurer, used instead of pitch in some parts
of India. He told me, that the natives of his country wore gold
ear-rings, and golden bracelets about their arms and legs; their food
being potatoes, fowls, and fish. He told me also, that being one day in
a canoe with his father and mother, they were taken by some fishers
belonging to Mindanao, who sold them to the interpreter of Rajah Laut,
with whom he and his mother lived as slaves for five years, and were
then sold for fifty dollars to Mr Moody. Some time afterwards, Mr Moody
gave me the entire property of both, but the mother soon died, and I had
much ado to save the son. After my arrival in the Thames, being in want
of money, I first sold part of my property in Prince Jeoly, and by
degrees all the rest. He was afterwards carried about and shewn for
money, and at last died of the small-pox at Oxford.
During my stay at Bencoolen I served as gunner of the fort; but when my
time was expired, I embarked with my painted prince in the Defence,
Captain Heath, in order to return to England.
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