6 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
near the village Hatore, and had several large enclosures, 
with buildings, around it. These enclosures, cultivated by 
the colonists, afforded an abundant supply of provisions, 
but the establishment having excited the jealousy of the 
natives, the garrison proved insufficient for its defence, and 
the new settlers were massacred to a man. 
The Portuguese, who had introduced a few Roman 
Catholic priests into the island, had also prevailed upon one 
of the chiefs to send his son to Goa, that he might be in¬ 
structed in the Christian religion. He was educated under 
the care of the priests, whose labours were so far successful 
that he was baptised, on a profession of the Christian faith; 
but, on his return to his own country, he assumed the so¬ 
vereignty, to which he had become entitled by his father's 
death, and returned to his former paganism. He reigned 
some years, and lived on friendly terms with the Portuguese, 
but was at length killed in the attack made by the French 
upon the town of Franchere, where he resided; with the 
destruction of their colony, all idea of converting the 
natives of Madagascar to the Christian faith appears to 
have been abandoned by the Portuguese. 
Very little progress was made towards the interior of the 
country, either by the Portuguese or Dutch, who also made 
a point of touching at the island on their way to India. 
The chief object they had in view seems to have been that 
of securing themselves a safe retreat, and a supply of fresh 
provisions in their voyages ; their attention being occupied 
in the acquisition and support of settlements more to the 
eastward; it was therefore left to the French to follow the 
example of the Spaniards in South America, and to attempt 
to establish themselves by subduing the inhabitants. 
Their first attempt was made in 1642, when a patent was 
granted by Cardinal Richelieu, to Captain Rivault, for 
