CHAP. VII. HIS CHARACTER, PURPOSES, AND PLANS. 185 



to the Imperial government, and afterwards to the English ; 

 but being unsuccessful, he purchased a ship, sailed to North 

 America with a carao for Madagascar, and having there ob- 

 tained a second vessel, he proceeded to Madagascar. On 

 reaching the neighbourhood of Antongil Bay, he seized a 

 storehouse belonging to the French, and was only deterred 

 from attempting to take the factory at Foule Pointe by the 

 presence of a French vessel of war. As soon as these pro- 

 ceedings became known at Mauritius, a frigate with sixty men 

 was sent against him. On the arrival of the ship his fort 

 was attacked, and he was killed by the fire of the advancing 

 troops in 1786, twelve years after his first arrival in the island. 



The slave trade and the wars which have subsequently de- 

 solated this part of Madagascar, have almost annihilated the 

 tribes with whom Benyowsky was associated, and I heard of 

 no traditions of him amongst the present inhabitants. Very 

 different estimates have been formed of the character and 

 proceedings of this extraordinary man. The record he has 

 left of his own purposes and plans, lead to the inference that 

 his views were in advance of the age ; and without attempting 

 to justify his slave- dealing, his conniving at the unfounded 

 report of his origin, or other parts of his proceedings, his 

 treatment of the Malagasy was more enlightened and just 

 than that of most Europeans who had visited their shores, 

 while his attempts to abolish infant murder and introduce 

 other ameliorations of social life, indicate the exercise of 

 human feelings. I had soon after my visit to Foule Pointe 

 an opportunity of inspecting several documents in his own 

 handwriting, some of which contain gratifying evidence of 

 a benevolent disposition. 



While staying at this place, I walked over some exceedingly 

 well-stocked and cultivated gardens belonging to the gentle- 

 man at whose house I had been entertained. Many useful 

 European vegetables were growing here remarkably well, in a 



