VOYAGE TO MADAGASCAR, 99 



fand oxen as the price of a peace. To fo 

 extravagant a demand La Vatangue made 

 no reply ; but whilft thefe adventurers were 

 ranging through a field of fugar- canes, he 

 caufed them all to be llaiJghtered. 



The particulars of the difafter vsrhich be- 

 fel thefe forty adventurers, fent out by Cha- 

 margou, were known by a PortUguefe^ 

 wlo was the only perfon that efcaped, by 

 taking ilielter in a large marfh covered with 

 reeds and ftagnated water* In this place he 

 remained two days, concealed up to the 

 neck in mud* The iflandcrs, who purfued 

 him, fearing that they would fink in the 

 earth, which was foft and fpungy, fet fire 

 to the reeds, in order that they might oblige 

 the Portuguefe to come forth ; but under 

 cover of the thick fmoke^ occafioned by 

 this conflagration, he had the good fortune 

 to efcape* The iHaiiders wifhed much to 

 deftroy this man, that Chamargou might 

 H z not 



