VISITS TO MADAGASCAR 



ifC. 



CHAPTER I. 



Brief historical Introduction. — Treaty between the English and Malagasy for 



the Abolition of the Slave Trade Introduction of useful Arts, Letters, and 



the Knowledge of the Christian Keligion. — Death of Radama. — Prohibi- 

 tion of Religious Teaching. — Departure of the Missionaries. — Frencli and 

 English Attack on Tamatave. — Severe Persecution of the Christians. — 

 Conversion of the Princes. — Departure of the Author from England for 

 Madagascar. — Voyage to St. Vincent's. — Ascension. — Tiie Cape of Good 

 Hope. — Public Rejoicings at Cape Town. — The School Children's Feast. — 

 Last Sunday on board the "Indiana." — Anuval at Port Louis. — Reports of 

 the continued Sufferings of the Christians in Madagascar. 



The Island of Madagascar, extending over an area larger than 

 that of Great Britain and Ireland combined, and inhabited 

 by more than three millions of people, has at different periods 

 attracted the notice of the chief maritime nations of Europe ; 

 but, with the exception of a short period in the early part 

 of the seventeenth century, it is only since our possession 

 of Mauritius, and the subsequent treaty of friendship and 

 alliance entered into between the late king Eadama and the 

 Grovernor of Mauritius in 1817, that our own countrj^men 

 have given much attention to the island or its inhabitants. 



In their treaty -with Eadama, whom the English chose to 

 regard as the supreme ruler of the coimtry, they sought 

 chiefly the abolition of the slave trade, and in order to com- 

 pensate the king and his chiefs for the loss which this mea- 

 sure would entail upon them, and to secure their co-operation 



B 



