46 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
Before and after the commencement of his piratical career, 
Captain Kid appears to have frequented the coast of Mada¬ 
gascar without attempting anything like a settlement there, 
and such was most frequently the case with other adventurers 
of his class ; who merely touched at the island for the pur¬ 
pose of refitting their ships. Some, however, were induced 
from the apparent salubrity of the climate, the productive¬ 
ness of the soil, and the inoffensive character of the inhabit¬ 
ants, to prolong their residence amongst them, and of these 
the most important colony appears to have been one conducted 
by a French pirate of the name of Misson, who, in connexion 
with his comrade Caraccioli, established a sort of republican 
commonwealth upon the north-eastern coast. Here they 
were afterwards joined by captain Tew, and being all men of 
superior education and abilities, to those generally engaged 
in the demoralizing and murderous pursuits of piracy, the 
affairs of their settlement were for some time conducted 
with considerable prudence, and attended with a measure of 
success. 
It is stated by Johnson,* that they built a fort and a town, 
that they cultivated a considerable tract of land, and had 
even a senate-house, in which they made laws for the good 
government of their infant colony. From this settlement, 
which they called Libertatia, they sent out their ships on 
marauding expeditions, and in many instances were so suc¬ 
cessful as to add greatly to their wealth and power. In the 
mean time a traffic was by this means kept up with the 
natives, who were induced to resort to them for the purposes 
of barter, and at last became willing to assist in the building 
and navigation of two small vessels intended for cruising 
round the island. 
History of the Pirates, vol. ii. 
