HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
161 
Phaeton, contains so much that is important in the mission 
of Mr. Hastie to the capital, and is so fraught with bene¬ 
volent and noble feeling, that little apology is required for 
quoting it considerably in detail. Would that the trans¬ 
actions of all enlightened Europeans with barbarous coun¬ 
tries had been marked with the same characters of justice 
and true wisdom ! 
This letter is dated, Mauritius, 28th June, 1817, and 
addressed to Mr. Pye, assistant civil agent at Madagascar. 
After some preliminary matter, the secretary, who writes on 
behalf of his excellency, proceeds:—• 
44 Captain Stanfell having been so obliging as to take the 
young princes of Ovah on board his majesty’s ship Phaeton 
for a passage to Madagascar, at the request of his excel¬ 
lency the governor, I am to direct that they may be re¬ 
ceived with due honours and distinction on their arrival at 
Tamatave. 
44 The accompanying letter to king Radama, together with 
its enclosures, will fully explain to you the steps that have 
been taken by his excellency for ensuring to the natives of 
Madagascar, and the cause of humanity in general, the 
permanent benefits which the young princes have received 
here, by its speedily leading to the total abolition of the slave- 
trade throughout that interesting and unfortunate island. 
44 His excellency has ascertained from the best autho¬ 
rities, that the slave-smugglers have met with great diffi¬ 
culties this season in procuring slaves. His excellency 
attributes this happy result, which has already been ob¬ 
tained, from opening a communication and contracting an 
alliance with the most powerful of the Madagascar states, 
to the representations made to Radama last year, through 
the medium of his aid-de-camp, Captain Le Sage ; and he 
doubts not that the present mission, combined as it is with 
ii. 
M 
