2 VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. chap. i. 



in rendering it effectual, an annual payment was made by the 

 British Government to the king. This payment consisted 

 partly of ammunition and arms ; and men were sent to Mada- 

 gascar to instruct the native soldiers in the use of firearms, 

 and in military tactics. To the arms and discipline thus 

 supplied, and used with a wanton disregard of human life 

 and human suffering, happily unknown in warfare amongst 

 civilised nations, are to be ascribed much of Eadama's success 

 in extending the dominion of the Hovas far beyond the cen- 

 tral province of Ankova, its original boundary. Besides the 

 superior arms and training thus supplied to the Malagasy 

 soldiers, a number of native youths were received on board 

 ships of the British navy, in order that they might learn prac- 

 tical seamanship, and be able to act as pilots, or to hold other 

 offices under their own government at the several ports of the 

 island ; while others were sent to England for education, and 

 instruction in the arts of civilised life. 



Missionaries from the London Missionary Society reached 

 the coast of INIadagascar in 1818; and, after the treaty with 

 the British Grovernment had been finally ratified in 1820, 

 they proceeded to the capital, and were cordially welcomed 

 by the king, who appeared still more delighted when they 

 were followed by a number of intelligent men sent out by the 

 same society to instruct the people in the practice of many of 

 the most useful arts. The strange and somewhat complex 

 language of the people was acquired by the missionaries, who 

 introduced an alphabet into the language, arranged its gram- 

 mar, prepared elementary books, and translated the Holy 

 Scriptures into the native tongue. 



In the space of ten years after the settlement of the 

 teachers at the capital, not fewer than 10,000 or 15,000 of 

 the natives had learned to read, many of them also to write, 

 and a few had made some slight progress in English ; 

 at the same time that a number professed themselves Chris- 



