278 VOYAGE TO MADAGASCAR* 



made in his prefence, to detetS the impu- 

 dent impoflure of this ft ranger. That ea- 

 lightened adminiftrator prudently avoided 

 taking any part in them ^ but he made ufe 

 of this'clofe attack to infpire M. de Boynes 

 ■with a juft and falutary fufpicion of the 

 pretended difcoveries of Benyowlki. If, as 

 we fliall fee hereafter, this information did 

 not produce the intended eflfedl, it would 

 certainly be highly illiberal to throw out 

 even the flightefl: reproaches again ft him, 

 on that account. However, the relation 

 given by Benyowfki, of his romantic ad- 

 ventures, was fufficient to ruin, in the opi- 

 nion of the public, this man, who was not 

 afiiamed to produce before a generous peo- 

 ple a fcandalous declaration, in wliich he 

 owned himfelf guilty of an execrable crime. 

 This ftranger, faid they, is not a mad- 

 man ; and yet h^ wifhes to pei-fuade us that 

 force and rigorous means werq ufed to de- 

 prive 



