Toby​

 

In the words of Betsy Balcombe, Toby was,“an old Malay slave[...]who had been captured and brought to the island as a slave many years before, and had never since crossed its boundary. He was an original, and rather an interesting character. A perfect despot in his own domain, he never allowed his authority to be disputed; and the family stood almost as much in awe of him, as they did of the master of the Briars himself.

Napoleon took a fancy to old Toby, and told papa he wished to purchase him, and give him his freedom; but for some political reason it was not permitted. The old man retained ever afterwards the most grateful sense of Napoleon’s kindness, and was never more highly gratified than when employed in gathering the choicest fruit, and arranging the most beautiful bouquets, to be sent to Longwood, to “that good man, Bony”.

 

According to Las Cases, Napoleon was deeply troubled by Toby’s situation:

 

As for poor Toby, he endures his misfortunes very quietly: he stoops to his work and spends his days in innocent tranquility… Certainly there is a wide step from poor Toby to a King Richard. And yet, the crime is not the less atrocious, for this man, after all, had his family, his happiness, and his liberty; and it was a
horrible act of cruelty to bring him here to languish in the fetters of slavery.