VOYAGE TO MADAGASCAR. . 97 



cxcefles. The initat*ed chief gave notice 

 to his brother-in-law, alfo, that Chamar- 

 gou had fcnt forty Frenchmen to the eaftem 

 coaft, and that he might eafily furprife and 

 maflacre them, ** I fend you my fon,*' 

 continued he at the end of the letter, *' to 

 *^ be at the head of the army whlcli you dif- 

 ** patch to attack and deftroy tlie French 5 

 *' L is my olt that infpires me 5 and you are 

 ** wdl acquainted with the misfortunes 

 '* which come upon us when we do not 

 ** faithfully obey its mandates. My fon 

 ** will give you a particular account of every 

 ** thing that has pafled ; and you will, no 

 *' doubt, be filled with indignation when 

 ** you know the perfidious behaviour of 

 ** thefe ftrangers towards their moll faitliful 

 ** ally." La Vatangue was extremely hap- 

 py on receiving this intelligence of the ex- 

 pedition of the forty Frenchmen j but he 

 had only time to be upon his guard ; for 

 H two 



