5i6 
ISLAND OF MADAGASCAR. 
of Amhoul, and married the daughter of the principal chief. 
Five more Frenchmen joined him, and though he had not 
attempted any revenge on his countrymen, yet, when a price 
was set on his head by the French Governor, all the chiefs 
were highly enraged at seeing a plan formed against the life 
of a man whom they so highly venerated; and unanimously 
agreed not to afford any supply of cattle, rice, &c. to the 
French; in consequence of which a famine ensued, which 
reduced the settlers to a small number. 
Second. The imprudent conduct of father Stephen, a 
Catholic Missionary of the order of St. Lazar. This man, 
either not knowing, or rather having forgotten the words of 
Paul, " The weapons of our warfare are not carnal," carried 
the bloody banners of war, and was determined to convert 
the people by the sword ! — ihe old Roman method. Being 
well received by a powerful chief, who had a numerous 
seraglio, he thought it would be easy to convert him ; but 
instead of waiting for the effect of sound scriptural argument, 
he commanded the chief to put away all his women except 
one: and threatened, not the displeasure of God, but to bring 
the French arms against him if this order was not instantly 
obeyed, and that they would deprive him by force of his 
seraglio. The chief, instead of instantly putting him to 
death for his insolence, as might have been expected, begged 
fifteen days to consider the matter, during which time he 
privately withdrew with all his women. The Missionary 
followed him, accompanied by another brother of the same 
order, and six Frenchmen, all loaded with sacerdotal habits, 
and the authority of the bloody church with which they were 
connected. 
It was told Stephen, when he overtook the chief, how 
vain his attempts at conversion would be. He made no 
reply to this, but tore, with consecrated hands, from the 
chief, all his amulets, threw them into the fire, and declared 
war ! Is it w onderful, that such an attempt to inforce 
Christianity was followed by the instant death of the Mis- 
sionary, and all his companions? By order of the chief they 
were all killed on the spot; and he swore the utter destruc- 
tion of the French. 
It is also a fact, that a considerable number of the 
English soldiers died, who went to take possession of a 
fort at Tametave, after the capture of the Isle of France ; 
but they went at the worst season of the year, when the 
utmost danger was to be expected in that part of the 
island. 
