106 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR, 
long intervals, formed, or rather attempted to form, estab¬ 
lishments amongst these people; but the agents in these 
enterprises have attended exclusively to the interests and 
emoluments of the Europeans, and particularly to their 
own profits; while the interests and well-being of the 
natives have been entirely forgotten: some of these minis¬ 
terial delegates have even been dishonest adventurers, and 
have committed a thousand atrocities. It cannot, therefore, 
excite surprise, that sometimes they have experienced marks 
of the resentment of the Malagasy, who, notwithstanding, are 
naturally the most easy and sociable people on earth.” 
At the desire of Lescallier, the chiefs entered into a 
treaty of alliance with the French; but the oaths usually 
taken on such occasions were dispensed with. The in¬ 
fluence of Europeans was now becoming increasingly per¬ 
ceptible amongst the inhabitants of the sea-coasts: many 
who were chiefs at this time, were the descendants of 
Frenchmen, who had allied themselves with the natives; 
and as the offspring of these unions were always held in high 
esteem by the people of the island, they were generally 
invested with the rank of nobility amongst them. Besides 
their being able to speak the French language, the use 
and value of coin began to be understood, and money was 
the medium generally employed in their commercial trans¬ 
actions, instead of the exchanges being exclusively a trade 
by barter. Some of the chiefs had adopted the French 
costume; and Zacavola himself was frequently habited in 
a scarlet unform, which had been presented to him by the 
governor of the Isle of France. In the construction, 
formation, and decoration of their houses, also, they imi¬ 
tated the French; and the accommodations were so similar 
to those generally found in the houses of people of good 
circumstances in Europe, as to excite the surprise of 
