VOYAGE TO MADAGASCAR^ 55 



would not fail to cleanfe the mouth of thef 

 river, and to render the entrance of the lake 

 pradicable. 



Ever 7 method employed to make molel 

 in the fea might be attended with advantage 

 in accompli fliing the objeft here propofed. 

 If I have given the preference to that of 

 iifing the hulls of old fhips, it is becaufe 

 it appears to me to be the moft com* 

 modious, the moft expeditious, and the 

 leaft expenfive* Befides, an experiment of 

 this nature could not fail of being ufeftil 

 and inilrudive, whatever might be its fiic- 

 cefs, Veffels, when funk, are maflTes fo 

 enorffious and fblid, on account of the care 

 taken to bind ail their parts together, that I 

 do not think it polTible to fubftitutefor them, 

 in moles, and works deftined to withftand 

 the fury of the fea, any other bodies more ca- 

 pable of refifting the violence of the waves. 

 The river Fanihere is navigable for boats to 



the 



