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HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
CHAP. VI. 
Antiquity of domestic slavery in Madagascar—Unwillingness of the natives 
to sell their slaves to foreigners for exportation—Traffic in slaves for ex¬ 
portation first extensively introduced by the pirates—Probable number 
annually exported—Different modes by which slaves were obtained, viz. 
intestine wars, men-stealing, debt, and banditti—Instance of acute suf¬ 
fering occasioned to the parents by the loss of their children—Opinion 
amongst the people that the Europeans were cannibals, and that the slaves 
were ultimately eaten by them—Manner in which they were driven from 
the interior to the coast—Prices at which they were sold—Early measures 
taken by Sir R. Farquhar—State of the island—Views of the governor 
of Mauritius, communicated to Earl Bathurst—Mission of Capt. Le Sage 
to the capital of Madagascar, to negociate a treaty of friendship with 
Radama—Kindness of the natives to Le Sage during his illness—Two 
brothers of Radama sent to Mauritius for education—March of Radama 
with his army to Tamatave—Return of the king’s brothers to Madagascar 
—Mission of Mr. Hastie to Radama, for the purpose of effecting the 
abolition of the slave-trade—Objects contemplated by the appointment 
of Mr. Hastie, as stated by the governor of Mauritius—Mr. Hastie’s re¬ 
ception by Radama—Difficulties and perils of the journey to the capital 
—Arrival of Mr. Hastie at Antananarivo—First public interview with the 
king. 
The slave-trade is so painfully conspicuous in the history 
of Madagascar, that before proceeding farther in the narra¬ 
tion of the events which have occurred in that country 
during the last twenty years, it seems requisite to furnish 
some account of the manner in which that inhuman traffic 
had been so long and so disastrously operating upon the 
minds and habits of the people. 
There is every reason to believe that domestic slavery 
has existed in Madagascar from time immemorial; but the 
savage practice of exporting men as slaves, is said to have 
