on a voyage to the island, in order to make definite inquiries relative to the accounts which had reached him about Madagascar, and to search particularly for mines of silver, which were said to be

numerous.

A.D. 1510.

The following year the King of Portugal despatched another expedition, under the command of Juan Serrano, who was instructed to make himself well acquainted with the island, its productions, and capabilities for commerce, and to establish a trading station there.

This good beginning ended in results neither beneficial to themselves nor to the natives; and, in fact, the operations of the Portuguese in Madagascar at that time appear to have been confined to the purchase of a few slaves from the Arabs already located there.

A.D. 1548.

About 1548 the Portuguese formed an establishment at L'Anse aux Gallions, which was the first European settlement on the Island of Madagascar. They were under the orders of a Portuguese governor, to whom the natives gave the title of "Macinorbé," doubtless a corruption of Monseignor-Be, compounded of the Portuguese Monseignor, Lord, and the Malagash Bé, Great, meaning Great Lord.

Macinorbé landed on L'Anse aux Gallions with seventy men, evidently with the determination of forming a permanent establishment there. On the Island of Anossi, also called Portuguese Island, on a steep rock

overhanging the bank of the river Franchere, he built a house of stone, the walls of which were standing in Flacourt's time. Here the Portuguese established themselves, and built a fort, situated near the village of Hitore; this fort had many enclosures, within which they raised European vegetables and abundance of stock. When the Governor's residence was completed, the natives in the neighbourhood, under the pretext of celebrating the event, presented the Portuguese with large quantities of "toak," or fermented palm wine and honey, assisting at the rejoicings with their presence. In the middle of the feast, Macinorbé and his companions, with the exception of five, were massacred. The survivors, with about thirty of their slaves, succeeded in shutting themselves up in the citadel, where they defended themselves, and afterwards led a life of desultory warfare with the natives, until they were enabled to make their escape on board of a vessel belonging to their own nation. The Portuguese continued to frequent the island for a short time afterwards for the purposes of commerce, but they did not form any permanent establishments there.

During the temporary occupation of a portion of the coast of this island by the Portuguese, the English and the Dutch, disputing with each other for the possession of India, appeared to have overlooked the fortunate discovery of Fernan Suarez. Nevertheless, in the reign of Charles I., the Government of England seriously contemplated taking possession of Madagascar. A colony was

A.D. 1644.

formed in St. Augustine Bay, which promised to be very successful; but being unsupported by the home Government, consequent upon the civil commotions which broke out in England in that reign, and many of the colonists having been carried off by unnecessary exposure to the climate during a very sickly season, the survivors abandoned the settle

ment.

The foregoing is a brief account of the first appearance of Europeans on the Island of Madagascar.

10

CHAPTER II.

Cardinal Richelieu French East India Company Fort Dauphin - Pronis - Mutiny and Imprisonment of the Governor-Roger Le Bourg restores Pronis to the Government-Origin of the Pirates of Bourbon-Origin of the Maroons of Mauritius-Estienne de Flacourt-Sergeant La Roche-Gallant Encounter-Magnanimity of Malagasy Prince The elements prevent Flacourt's return to France— Arrival of La Forest des Royers-Martyrdom of Father Etienne Colony saved by M. Levacher, called by the Malagasy Lacase.

A.D. 1642.

CARDINAL RICHELIEU, who omitted nothing which could contribute to the glory of France, foreseeing the position which the Island of Madagascar must hold, in commanding at some future day the trade between Europe and the East Indies and China, both by way of the Cape of Good Hope and also by the Red Sea, was anxious to give every encouragement to French enterprise in the Eastern Seas. With the view of ultimately obtaining possession of this island for the Crown of France, he granted to Rigault, captain of a French merchant vessel, and his associates, the exclusive privilege of trading from France with Madagascar and the adjoining islands, under the obligation of his taking possession of all places of trade in those seas in the name of the King

of France. This was the origin of the First French East India Company, which at one time bid fair to establish a new empire for France to the eastward of the Cape of Good Hope, but which, by mismanagement of its funds and opportunities of acquiring territory, came to an end A.D. 1652.

In the month of March, 1642, the French East India Company despatched a vessel to Madagascar, having on board the Sieur de Pronis, and as his lieutenant Foucquembourg, together with twelve Frenchmen. The orders received by Pronis were to search for a place suitable for a colony. Pronis landed at Isle de Mascareigne, since called Bourbon, and subsequently Réunion, and took possession of it in the name of the King of France. Arrived at Madagascar, he pitched upon a village named Manghefia, at the extremity of the Province of Anosy, which, being found unhealthy, was changed for that of the neighbouring Peninsula of Taolanara. To this settlement the name of Fort Dauphin was given, and it became the centre of the ephemeral greatness of France in Madagascar. The fort stands in a commanding situation, on the south side of the Bay of Taolanara; it is of an oblong form, and enclosed with strong walls of lime and gravel well cemented. The anchorage in the roadstead is excellent, and the harbour is screened, by the Isle of St. Clair, from the heavy sea gales, so that the entrance is convenient at all times for large ships.*

Pronis, the pioneer of French enterprise in those * "History of Madagascar," Rev. Wm. Ellis, Vol. II., p. 9.