2l6 VOYAGE TO MADAGASCAR, 



fovereignty was acknowledged. This haugh- 

 ty and imperious woman, highly offended 

 at that kind of dlfdain and negle£l with 

 which Gofle feemed to treat her, fwore that 

 Jfhe would be revenged on him for fo open 

 an infult offered to her dignity. For a long 

 time Goffe defpifed her anger and threats : 

 but this conduit: was far from being pru- 

 dent ; and might have brought great mif- 

 fortunes upon the eilabllfhrnent entmfted 

 to his care. Obflinate fevers, and epidemi- 

 cal difcafes, foon after weakened the colo- 

 ny, and reduced it to a very languifliing 

 condition during the latter end of autumn. 

 Tlie diredors of the Ifle of France were 

 obliged, therefore, to fend new recruits an- 

 nually, to repair the loffes which were 

 occafioned by the infalubrity of the ifland. 

 The mortality became fo great towards the 

 conclufion of the year, that it was then 

 called the Grave of the French, The greateft 



care, 



