Write on Madagascar and not to mention Fort Dauphine would like to do about Cuba and not to mention Trinidad. Fort Dauphine is a coastal town noteworthy for many reasons. One is the fascinating and unknown history that puts this place on the map a few historians and lovers of tales of pirates, buccaneers and naúgrafos.
It is the testimony of Robert Drury. Now a little background on this peculiar character, Born in London in 1687. A brave boy, son of an innkeeper, of dubious origin and ambition, embarked on the Degrave in 1700 at age 13 years. What happened next only know through an almost daily ambiguous 500 pages written in 1728. In this diary, “Rober Drury's Journal”, tells how the ship he was traveling from England to the Cape of Good Hope sank off the coast of Fort Dauphine, southeastern Madagascar. Survived 160 passengers, including a woman. The year 1701.
The ship he was traveling capsized Drury. It was seized by a king, forced to fight in tribal wars and enslaved
In its pages tells how uncertain was captured by a king, which he calls the Samuel King, ( implausible name for a king of Madagascar), recounts the murder of his fellow, how he was forced to fight in tribal wars and chronicles the adventures of his life as a slave to the king, which should actually be the rey Andriamasinavalona. Notes that the first greeting that made the sovereign was the captain of Degrave: Salamonger, what really should be Salamalekum, Muslim greeting still common among Malagasy field, still being mostly Christians. Continuing detailing his life on the island, his marriage to a native and 16 years suffering in the red island. According to his account, manages to escape from the island in a slave ship.
He spent 16 years on the island and wrote his adventures in a book that was attributed to Daniel Dafoe, author of "Treasure Island"
It is not clear if Drury was slave or slave, marine or pirate, victim or executioner. What is known is that he spent the rest of his life trying to return to Madagascar. His chronic turbid was considered during the following centuries work Daniel Defoe, the well-known author of "Treasure Island". But recent research shows that Drury was 16 years in Madagascar, Degrave the boat actually sank off Fort Dauphin and himself, ruined in London, wrote the paper on his return, perhaps aided by Defoe. The book became a success and was published seven times, becoming one of the most popular travel books of the time. Full details on the geography, flora, wildlife and native culture, for years was considered a major reference work on Madagascar.
Those years he spent in Madagascar Drury were difficult times for the island. Andriamasinavalona King ruled the country with iron fist and with only one eye. They were times of barbarism in which the enemies were crucified on wooden poles and submerged in boiling water or thrown mercilessly crocodiles. This king died in 1710, after five years of humiliating imprisonment perpetrated by his own son. He had no successor to 1787, so it follows that Drury spent a few years on the island in anarchy, no other law than his.
It beggars belief that the natives were cast into weapons against survivors. View a Malagasy angry is harder to see a buffalo dancing samba
Knowing the people of Madagascar and its island character tempered, not believe that is cast into some white arms against starving upon arrival to these beautiful beaches, as recounted Drury. View a Malagasy angry is harder to see a buffalo dancing samba.
Fort Dauphin has beautiful legends of shipwrecks, huge breathtaking bays and long beaches. His easy laugh locals reflect the typical character of people in a relaxed seaside town. The unpaved streets, half-ruined buildings and chipped and dust clouds do not take away the charm of this city 42.000 inhabitants. Good beaches with surf history and much, constant sunshine, juicy pineapples, good rum-coconut drum beat… It would not be surprising that Mr. Drury was invented the story of his capture to stay here 16 years.
