HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
79 
the different attacks made upon the other branches of the 
settlement, though carried on with great bravery by 
the Sakalavas, attended ultimately with any better 
success. 
After the conclusion of this troublesome war, which 
appears to have been conducted on the part of Benyowsky 
with the utmost lenity towards those who fell into his hand, 
or became dependent upon his bounty or protection, his 
exhausted health and spirits again reduced him to such a 
state as rendered it necessary to place the command in 
the hands of Captain Malendre, with full directions how to 
act in case of his death. He also obtained written testi¬ 
monials of an entire approbation of his conduct during the 
time he held the command. This document, which is 
recorded in his memoirs, is highly honourable to his 
character, and remains an unanswerable argument against 
the calumnies which some of the French writers have 
heaped upon his memory. 
During the governor’s seclusion from public life, he had 
time to reflect upon the critical state of the colony, and, 
amongst other means for relieving the pressing necessities 
of his men, he formed a plan for teaching the native women 
to manufacture cloth, which in the end proved extremely 
beneficial to the colony. Some private vessels also arrived 
at the island, and supplied the settlers with a few neces¬ 
saries in exchange for rice, of which they had abundance. 
But the disappointment of the Count was much increased 
by finding that a small corvette, sent out by France, with 
workmen and supplies for Madagascar, had unfortunately 
been wrecked before it reached its destination, and nothing 
saved; so that at the end of two years, instead of having 
every want provided for by the government, the colony had 
absolutely received no assistance whatever from any public 
