HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
105 
merce of human blood and misery, which has so long dis¬ 
graced the portion of the world calling itself civilized.” 
Happily for Madagascar, the time was at hand when this 
numerous and degraded portion of its population would 
claim the benevolent regard of men more enlightened and 
humane. Before entering upon this more encouraging 
view of the subject, a brief account must be given of the 
general state of the country during the intervening time. 
In the year 1792, the French National Assembly deputed 
Mons. Lescallier to visit Madagascar, in order to ascertain 
whether it would be practicable once more to establish a 
colony in the island. On his arrival at Foule Pointe, 
where the French still maintained a post, he found Hyavi 
dead, and his son Stacavola reigning in his place. Les¬ 
callier was well received by the young prince, and by his 
prime minister, Rama Efa, who possessed considerable 
influence over the mind of his master. 
The principal object of Lescallier’s mission appears to 
have been that of ascertaining whether the native chiefs 
were well disposed towards the French. His report, as 
given in a memoir on the subject in the National Institutes, 
is highly favourable to the natives, and in an equal measure 
creditable to his honesty, while it is disgraceful to his coun¬ 
trymen, adding to the varied and incontrovertible evidence 
of the general conduct of the civilized in their early inter¬ 
course with uncivilized nations* 
“Europeans,” says he, “have hardly ever visited this 
island but to ill-treat the natives, and to exact forced ser¬ 
vices from them; to excite and foment quarrels amongst 
them, for the purpose of purchasing the slaves that are 
taken on both sides in the consequent wars: in a word, 
they have left no other marks of having been there, but the 
effects of their cupidity. The French government has, at 
