HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
157 
impolitic to have developed, at this early stage of the pro¬ 
ceedings, the great design of endeavouring to effect the 
abolition of the slave-trade, as many powerful and influen¬ 
tial parties had at that time an interest in maintaining the 
traffic; and such individuals being but too likely to sacri¬ 
fice humanity at the shrine of mammon, and thus to ren¬ 
der abortive a scheme which they knew must, if effected, 
deprive them of their accustomed gains. 
Captain Le Sage’s party consisted of himself in the 
capacity of agent, a medical gentleman, about thirty sol¬ 
diers, a Monsieur Jolicoeur as interpreter, several artificers 
who had been sent to Mauritius as convicts from India, 
Verkey, who was at that time in the employ of the traders, 
but afterwards sent to England, and some others. The 
soldiers were sent with a view of exhibiting to Radama the 
military manoeuvres of disciplined European troops. A 
great proportion of this party unhappily fell victims to the 
Malagasy fever, in consequence of having travelled through 
the country at the rainy season; and this circumstance is 
said to have confirmed an opinion long entertained in 
Mauritius, of the greater insalubrity of the interior of 
Madagascar than of the coast. The fact is, the proper 
season and mode of travelling up the country were not at 
that time understood. It is now found that persons, who 
have lived some time on the coast, enjoy better health 
there during the rainy season, than if they retire into the 
interior. Persons newly arriving in the island, conse¬ 
quently not acclimated, if they venture to travel during 
the rainy season, are then liable to the dreadful disease, 
which generally proves fatal to strangers remaining under 
such circumstances at the capital, although they may 
have enjoyed after their arrival a few days of health. 
Experience has shewn that a period of about ten days 
