96 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
they had fallen, was also extremely encouraging; nor were 
their hopes, excited by this report, beyond what they them- 
selves experienced. 44 In the evening,” says Captain Dale 
in his narrative, 44 we arrived at Tullear, (Tolia,) having first 
to wade the river near the banks of which it lies, and were 
directed to the king, whom we found in the midst of his 
principal attendants, armed with muskets and spears, and 
sitting on mats under the shade of a clump of large tama¬ 
rind trees. His reception of us was such as I never shall 
forget. He embraced me with much affection; I offered 
him a present—one of the few trinkets we had saved from 
the wreck-^-but he declined accepting it, and directed his 
interpreter to tell me how sorry he was for our misfortunes, 
and also, that he could not think of taking any thing from 
us, but that he would be happy to give us any thing he 
had; that the king Baba and king George were one* were 
brothers, and as such he should afford us every protection 
in his power.” 
Captain Dale and his party, seven of whom were ladies 
who had escaped from the wreck, had travelled about one 
hundred miles from the place of their landing; and as they 
had to trace the windings of the shore, often interrupted by 
jutting headlands, suffering much from the want of water, 
as well as from the fierce rays of the sun, it must have been 
a cause of both wonder and thankfulness that any of them 
reached the place, and more so that delicate females should 
be able to endure the fatigues and difficulties of such a 
journey. 
The subsequent treatment they received from this king 
was in all respects consistent with the first reception he 
gave them. He ordered them to be provided with huts, for 
which it was not intended they should pay anything; but 
the agents of the king, eluding his orders, proved themselves 
