HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
461 
that follows to be a proper name. The word is therefore simply 
equivalent to, ‘The poor Negro/ 
“ I afterwards asked him how he came to think of so singular a 
name. ‘ Oh/ said he, 6 I had seen in your printing-office the 
tract of The Poor Negro, with a wood-cut representing him with 
his knees bended, and his eyes lifted up to heaven ; and I thought, 
being a slave like him, there was nothing I so much desired, as to 
become like him in disposition; and therefore I took his name/ 
I explained to him that the words, Poor Negro, were not a proper 
name, but pointed out the state and character. ‘ Well/ said he, 
‘ I wish it may prove a true description of my character, as it 
certainly is of my condition in life/ 
“ Immediately after this, he prepared to return to his master in 
the village sixty or seventy miles to the westward. He had been 
twice sick of the endemic fever of Madagascar, which prevails at 
that distance from the capital; and he entertained some appre¬ 
hension that a third attack might prove fatal. He even went so 
far as to say to some of his most intimate believing friends, ‘ I 
think we shall not see each other’s faces again on earth; Jesus 
will soon fetch me. 
“ A few weeks afterwards, he wrote to me for a new supply of 
spelling and reading books; and for some weeks longer, we 
continued to hear of his increased activity and zeal in teaching and 
exhorting all persons who would listen to him. 
“After a while, however, the melancholy news suddenly reached us 
that Ra-poor-negro was dead. An attack of the fever had suddenly 
terminated his earthly course. Two of his adult scholars came to 
town expressly to announce to us this sad intelligence. They said 
he was only ill three days, and during that period repeatedly 
exclaimed, ‘ I am going to Jehovah-Jesus; Jesus is fetching me, 
I do not fear/ It may be remarked that this expression, ‘ Jehovah- 
Jesus/ is one which the natives have of themselves adopted, with¬ 
out any suggestion of ours. I do not think any of the Missionary 
brethren have ever used it, yet on my leaving Madagascar, several 
of the native Christians used as their farewell benediction, ‘ May 
you be blessed of Jehovah-Jesus/ 
“ The last expression, Ra-poor-negro used, and that he uttered 
repeatedly, was, ‘ I do not fear/ 1 I do not fear/ 
