200 VOYAGE TO MADAGASCAR, 



extinguilhed ; and when tranquilluy had en- 

 abled thefe iflanders to fee their teal inr 

 terefts, they would certainly not have fail- 

 ed to attack the pirates, and to be revenged 

 on them for their perfidy. It was necef- 

 fary, therefore, for the fuccefs of their per- 

 nicious defigiis, that they fhould render war 

 advantageous to thefe people ; and the fale 

 of prifoners, that is to fay, a trade in flaves, 

 anfwered two ends to them, that of foment- 

 ing and perpetuating divifions among the 

 Malegachea, and that of procuring a new 

 mode of enriching themfelves, and of cauf- 

 ing them to be courted and protected by Eu- 

 ropean nations, %vho favoured this deteftable 

 traffic. By this new crime the pirates ter- 

 minated their courfc of robbery— a crime 

 ' which depopulates and ftill defolates the 

 ifland of MadagaTcar. This deftrudive 

 fcourge, fmce the moment of its birth, has 

 not ceafed a moment to acquire new degrees 



of 



