X. MADAGAS CAR, Acknow CHAP. Count) was noted in his journal, February 2d 1775, when he mentions his determination to take advantage of it, and to conduct that brave and generous nation to a civilized ftate, and the establishment of a folid and a permanent goledged fuch vernment, founded on national liberty. At the fame time, he laments the blindness of the French minifter to the true interefts of his country. Several of the chiefs, soon afterwards, actually chofe the Count as their Ampanfacabe, made their fubmiffion, and fwore allegiance. by feveral chiefs. Interrogated by commif fioners from France. Interesting particulars. 286. On the 22d of August 1776, two commiffaries, Meff. de Bellecombe and Chevreau, arrived from France to take cognizance of the Count's proceedings. They digested their business into 25 queries, to which the Count's replies were so perfectly fatisfactory, that they gave him a discharge for his past conduct, and accounts, certifying that he had advanced to the French treasury, 415,000 livres *. This done, the Count, on the 28th, delivered them his refignation, with which they failed for the Ifle de France. 287. The queries and anfwers, I think, may fairly be confidered as forming an authentic official document; and it contains very interesting information. Among many other important particulars, the Count ftates to the commiffaries, that the fubfidies he received from the chiefs in 1776, *The only statement of receipts and difbursements, inferted in the work before me, is that which the Count tranfmitted to the French miniftry on the 22d March, 1775, viz. For levying and transporting the regt, of Benyowfky, and sup- Bills of exchange, drawn to the amount of. Livres s. d. 342,649 12. 5 113,000 10 3 X. MADAGAS 1776, in sugar, indigo, cotton, &c. amounted to 940,000 li- CHA P. vres, and that they can raife 123,000 warriors; that they willingly grant lands to the French, who would be welcome and safe throughout the whole island, provided no impolitic and impracticable attempts were made to deprive the natives of their liberties, of which M. de Laly and other French officers had given them too much reason to be jealous; that they are industrious, and example would make them more so, are imitators and disposed to learn trades, being already tolerable goldfmiths, potters, turners, carpenters, weavers, &c. but their "most respected bufinefs is the manufacture of iron and fteel. They are very expert in fufing the ore and in forging utenfils;" (See § 71) that their houses are of wood, fometimes covered with EXPENDITURES. For the troops, in 1772, 1773, 1774 and to 20 March 1775 Supplies to the Ifle of France, in rice and flaves... Provifions to several of H. M's fhips... Deduct the fums advanced 455,650 2 8 And also the fums advanced by myself. Neat profit* 585,398 9 11 245,000 O 340,398 9 11 • This fum is not neat profit. The result of this account is, that the colony coft the French Liv. 455,650 2 8 and Liv. 245,000 (which he advanced) making together Liv. 700,650 2 8. This is not equal to the whole charge or Liv. 854,212 18. But the colony paid the difference, Liv. 153,562 15 4, and also fupplied the I. de France and the king's fhip's with Liv. 286,835 11 7. This laft fum is the only return, and if taken from the whole fum advanced, will leave Liv. 413,814 10, or the balance due to the French government, at this period of the undertaking.-Note of the editor. X. MADAGAS-. CAR. CHA P. leaves, all neat, and thofe of the Rohandrians, elegant; that they raise good crops of rice, have vaft numbers of oxen, sheep, goats and poultry, and trade considerably, in produce with the Arabians, &c. that the whole east coast affords very few flaves, a trade in whom it would be neceffary to prohibit; that, in ten years, a colony might be established in Madagascar, on the plan stated below*. For other particulars, I must refer to the work itself. 288. * The Count, in his answer to the 25th query of the commiffaries, flates his plan, the fubftance of which is, that, if the king fupply 600 men, and 200 men at the end of each of the two following years, permitting him to chufe husbandmen in the troop, to marry with the women of the country, unrestrained on account of religion; and alfo to import annually 200 foundlings, 12 or 14 years of age, and likewife Malabar and Chinese families: in this cafe, a colony would, at the end of three years, be formed, which, connected with all Madagascar, would begin to have fome value. The expenfe would not exceed a million (of livres) per year, exclufive of the expense of a vessel of 600 tons, another of 200, and 6 galliots, for transports and the communication of posts.-At the end of three years, the colony would fupport itself, and increase, by the product of it's united capital of Liv. 3,000,000, till the tenth year, when it would be fufficiently strong to fear no fudden revolution, and be able, by it's commerce (which the Count seems all along to view as a fecondary object, to be promoted by no other means than the cultivation of the country. See particularly, vol. 2. p. 249, 254) to reimburse the expenfes of it's establishment. The Count's eftimate at p. 347 vol. 2. differs from the above; probably because he had not fufficiently confidered it. The title of the paper, of which it is a part, fhows what were his views, and makes it probable, that the paper, itself was never presented officially to any minifter; for it is not dated." Reflections upon the project of a colony at Madagascar, in case any power should adopt the fyftem of civilization, founded on the basis of an alliance." Of the estimate, which forms the first article, the following is an abftract.-The colony of Madagascar may be formed, in ten years, with Liv. 3,000,000 and 720 military fent the firft year; 200 yearly for the ed and 3d years; and 150 yearly for the 7 following years; exclufive of an annual importation, for the whole 10 years, of 120 European husbandmen, 30 creoles, and 50 natives of India or China. In all, about 4170 perfons who, fays the Count, will annually produce 600 children, the total of whom, at the end of the tenth year, 61 X. MADAGAS commiffion paníacabe. 288. But the Count, on quitting the French service, does CHA P. not seem to have abandoned his profpects in Madagascar. Several chiefs, he tells us, required him to assume the go- CAR. vernment. Accordingly, a congrefs was fummoned, and The C. reon the 9th of Oct. 1776, the Count actually faw above thir- figns his Fr. ty princes and chiefs, and at least 50,000 of their people deproftrated before him, as their liege lord. The oath (or clared Amrather engagement) indited by the chiefs, in their own language, having been thrice read aloud, was figned, in name of the nation, by Hiavi, King of the East; Lambouin, King of the North; and Raffangour, Rohandrian of the Sambarives. Instead of an appeal to Heaven, it contained this remarkable fanction, Curfed be our children who fhall Singular not obey our prefent will.-May the moft horrid flavery the chief's confound them." They acknowledge, however, and adore oath. one God, the Creator and Preferver of all things; for Raf- Natives acfangour, an aged chief, opened this meeting, with a short, but truly eloquent fpeech, which began thus, Bleffed be will amount to 6000 creoles, and 3370 Europeans, a fufficient number to fix the epoch of a colony." These last are the Count's own words, which I have inferted, because they imply an approbation of the foil and climate, which more effectually convince me of their general excellence, than the direct encomiums he often beftows on both. The mortality of his troops proves nothing against the climate; for, I apprehend, if they had been landed on any coaft in the world, and had experienced the fame fevere labour, and equal hardfhips, of every kind, the very fame mortality would have enfued.-For want of time and rocm, I have omitted many facts; but the Count's bill of mortality I really have forgotten; and the page, where it should have flood, being printed off, I hope to be excufed for inferting it here. His corps originalTy confifted of 300 men levied in Old France (p. 96) and he appears to have received fome few recruits from the Ifle de France. In 1774, there died 113 of his men, in 1775, only 11 (Vol. II. p. 289.) In particular, on Oct. 3d 1775, there was not a man fick. The state of health, in 1776, does not appear.-The Count loft his only fon in Madagascar, he and the Countess narrowly escaping.-But the first hardfhips experienced there, have feldom been exceeded. fanction of* knowledge one God. X. MADAGAS CAR. ་ ་་ CHAP. Zahanhar (God) who has returned to his people. Bleffed be the law of our fathers, which commands us to obey a chief defcended from the blood of Ramini. Our fathers and ourfelves have experienced that difunion is the punishment of God." &c. (See Memoirs, Vol. II. p. 264.) The Count feems to have borne his new dignity with moderation; for, instead of grasping at the extenfive power exercised by former Ampanfacabe's, he propofed a conftitution, which feems to have been well calculated to promote the happinefs of a people imperfectly civilized, and in which the chiefs unanimoufly acquiefced. Chiefs empower him to treat with 289. On the 23d of Oct. the fame three chiefs, in name of the "kings, princes, chiefs and people of the north and France, &c. eastern coafts of Madagascar," figned full powers to the Count, as their Lord Ampanfacabe, to go to Europe, and from treaties of alliance and commerce, with the King of France; and, in cafe he should not accept the offer, with any other European king, or nation. The Ampanfaçabe, on his part, engaged them to acknowledge, in his absence, Raffangour, the president of the new fupreme council, or, he failing, the Chief Sancé, a mulatto. He embarks for France. The French minifter's 290. On the 14th of Dec. 1776, the Count, having affifted the French commandant at Louifbourg* with his advice, embarked on board a French fhip, for the Cape of Good Hope, on his way to Europe; the native chiefs and he shedding tears of affection and regret, and mutually blessing each other, in the name of Zahanhar. 291. Here the Count's journal ends, and, before we nointructions, tice his few remaining transactions, of which, we have ac &c. * This place is often mentioned in the Count's journal, being the name of the town he founded, as appears by one of the plates, where it would appear also, that he firft impofed the name, a circumftance not mentioned, I think, in the journal. counts |