204 VOYAGE TO MADAGASCAR. 



IE the minds of thefe people any traces of 

 their infamy, they muft have fed need them 

 by a profound ddlimulation, and a deceit- 

 ful appearance of confidence and afieclJon. 

 And how could favages pofTefs fujSicient 

 knowledge of mankind to be able to un- 

 mafk villains, exercifed from their infancy 

 3n falfehood and cunning, and whofe intereft 

 it was to conceal, or difguife the greater 

 part of their vices ? 



I confefs that this explanation alone can 

 afford fatisfadion, after the vain efforts 

 which I made on the fpot, with a view to 

 difcover the true caufe of that kind of re- 

 fpe£t, or rather veneration, which the Ma- 

 legaches entertain for the memory of thefe 

 infamous plunderers. 



It was not at the time wlien the pirates 

 %vcre employed folcly in ravaging the Indian 

 fcas that they were able to occafion great 

 diforder at Madagafcar \ their llay in that 

 6 ifland 



