12 VOYAGE TO MADAGASCAR. 



lued by the natives, but in lefs requeft among 

 the Europeans, are manufadured of cotton 

 and filk, 



M. de la Bourdonnais was no lefs ftruck 

 on feeing the induftry with which thefe peo- 

 ple forge and melt iron and other metals ; 

 but he fet more value on their manner of 

 twifting fmall cables, which are employed 

 in fifliing for whales^ and in mooring their 

 piroguas. 



He hoped that the natural ingenuity of 

 thefe iflanders, and their tafte for the me- 

 chanical arts would render it a matter of 

 little difiiculty to introduce into Madagafcar 

 fereral branches of comraercej ufeful both 

 to Europe and the French colonies in the 

 ifles of Bourlon and France. He propofed 

 therefore to engage the diredors of the Eaft 

 India Company to ered there 'manufadories 

 of fail-cloth, forges, founderies and rope- 

 walks. 



