226 VOYAGE TO MADAGASCAR. 



" hereafter the fame* Afk> then» of your 

 ** chiefs here aflembled, why, fince the ar- 

 " rival of the laft feven ftiips* the capmns 

 " have fUU negleded to make the ufuaL pre- 

 " fents, which ferve to promote a good 

 *^ underftanding ia thofe exchanges which 



the whites wKh to make with tlie Malega- 

 ** clies ? Why have not thefe veffels brought 



eili£t8 to pay the debts contra^ied above 

 " a year ago l>y the Frencli ? 



** h^vc fold them, on credit, accofd- 

 ^^iiig to-the rules of fair dealing, provifionr 



of every kmd, witliout any other fecurity 

 " than finall bits of paper, which contained; 

 'J as ydu.afiured us, a promiie of being paid 

 *i in^thcee-fTOons- Why has this folemn pro* 

 **iraye:rferiX'akied till the p^efent day undif- 



chained ? Thi^ certainly is corapeliing us- 



to git 6 up aU^ommercc with the whites, or 

 **'at le£ift<o^niircly withdraw thati:onfidence 



which we had in their words and oaths. 



** A large 



