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CHAPTER V.

French Factories-Isles of France and Bourbon captured by the English-Massacre of the English at Port Loquez-Captain Lesage sent to demand satisfaction The Hovas Dianamponine Radama - Embassy from Mauritius-The Oath of Blood Sergeant Brady-Jean René James Hastie Treaty Abolishing the Slave Trade-Major-General Hall Dishonourable Conduct Honourable Conduct of Radama-Return of Sir Robert Farquhar to MauritiusMr. Hastie and Radama-Eloquence of Rafarala-Renewal of the Treaty, 11th October, 1820-War with the SackalavesRadama lowers the French Flag at Fort Dauphin-French unsuccessful in raising an insurrection in the North-east end of the Island-Death of Mr. Hastie-Death of RadamaPrince Corroller's description of Radama-Lieutenant Boteler, R.N., his description of interview with Radama-Concluding Remarks on Radama.

FROM THE FALL OF BENYOWSKI TO THE DEATH OF RADAMA.

A.D. 1769 TO A.D. 1828.

unfortunate

AFTER the fall of the noble but Benyowski, and the abandonment of the different settlements which he had formed, France only held a few ports on the East Coast of Madagascar, for the purposes of commerce, which were under the direction of a commercial agent, and protected by a military detachment furnished by the Isle of France. These factories were kept up for the

purpose of provisioning the Isles of France and Bourbon, and affording supplies to the French squadrons occupying the Indian Ocean. At last, in 1810, they were confined to two-namely, Tamatavé and Foulepoint; and as in that year the Isles of France and Bourbon were taken possession of by the English, the French settlements on the East Coast of Madagascar shared the fate of those

A.D. 1811.

islands, and on the 11th of July,

1811, capitulated to an officer of that nation-namely, Captain Linne, commanding his Britannic Majesty's corvette L'Eclipse, M. Silvan Roux having signed the capitulation as the French Agent-General. For a short period the English were located at Port Loquez, but their commander having insulted the natives, by inflicting personal chastisement on one of their chiefs, they were massacred, with the exception of one man, who escaped in a boat. In 1816 Captain Lesage was sent from Mauritius to demand satisfaction for this massacre, and to endeavour to gain over to the cause of England the Sackalaves of the North and the principal chiefs on the East Coast of Madagascar.

For some years previous to the arrival of Captain Lesage great political changes had taken place in Madagascar. In the interior of the island there was a nation, inhabiting the higher plateaux, who, although few in numbers, had been long distinguished for their intelligence and industry; they

were remarkable for their manufacture of the cotton stuffs of the country and their workmanship in iron. This nation, called the Hovas, was broken up into small tribes, each having its own chief, whose petty jealousies made the province of Ankova the theatre of continued wars. The neighbouring nations being more numerous than themselves, their hostilities were seldom carried beyond their own province; but the time at last arrived when one chief among these people, having by his warlike habits and address raised himself to the head of the nation, by the title of King of the Hovas, to maintain his position among them, and, at the same time, indulge the warlike habits of the people, it became necessary to lead them against the neighbouring nations, who were soon overcome. From this moment.a thirst of conquest appears to have taken possession of the Hovas, and in the course of time they succeeded in subjecting to their dominion the other nations on this island, from which period the history of those people becomes merged in that of the dominant race who had so successfully imposed their yoke upon them.

Dianamponine was the chief who had succeeded in placing himself at the head of the Hovas, and extending his dominions from the province of Ankova until they included a great part of Antsianaka, Ankova, and all the province of Betsileo. Dying in 1810, at the age of 65, after having reigned a quarter of a century, he left his king

E

dom, the capital of which was Antananarivo, to his son Radania. Radama was eighteen years of age when he succeeded his victorious father. Like him, he was intelligent and ambitious; but what particularly distinguished this chief above all his countrymen was his anxiety, from the first, to increase his knowledge by intimate connexion with Europeans. At that time Sir Robert Farquhar was Governor of the Mauritius; and as that island is in a great measure dependent on Madagascar for supplies of cattle and rice, this intelligent Governor was not long in profiting by the friendly disposition of Radama towards Europeans. He induced the King of the Hovas to enter into a treaty of friendship and commerce, and the latter, as a proof of his sincerity and faith in the English, entrusted his two younger brothers-one aged thirteen and the other eleven years-to the English Agent, to be educated at Mauritius, at the expense of the British Government. This mark of confidence encouraged Sir Robert Farquhar to proceed in his good intentions, and he despatched Captain Lesage in the capacity of British Agent-General to Antananarivo, the capital of the Hova King. He was accompanied by an imposing staff, and was the bearer of costly presents to Radama. The British Agent-General being detained for some time at Tamatavé, the seaport of approach to the capital, until permission was accorded to himself and party to proceed to the capital, profited by this delay to

gain over to his interests Jean René, a powerful chief on the coast, who was already justly impressed with the power and influence of the English nation.

On the other hand, Fiche, Chief of Ivandro, in the interests of the French, pushed his feelings of hostility so far as to refuse canoes and provisions to assist the English. Radama received the British Agent in the capital of his kingdom, seated on a throne, surrounded by his ministers and officers, in a large hall decorated with military trophies. When Captain Lesage placed in the hands of the monarch the letter accrediting him from the Governor of Mauritius, he was received by Radama with the natural politeness and dignity which distinguished that prince from all the chiefs of Madagascar. Being the sickly season, many of Captain Lesage's companions fell victims to the climate, and his own health failing, Radama showed him the most kind and assiduous attentions.

A.D. 1817.

On the 14th of July, 1817, the British Agent took, with the King of the Hovas, the Oath of Blood, which rendered them from that moment in all things brothers, and on the 14th of February following a secret treaty was executed between them, which was subsequently ratified by the Governor of Mauritius. On the following day Captain Lesage took leave of Radama, leaving behind him two military instructors, for the purpose of teaching the Hovas