166 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
generosity in abolishing the practice, as far as his authority 
and influence extends, of condemning his prisoners to 
The favourable impressions already made upon the mind 
of Radama by his limited acquaintance with the British 
character, were greatly augmented and confirmed by his 
visit to Tamatave; and the comparison he was able to make 
between the English he met with there, and certain 
traffickers in slaves, who sedulously cultivated his friend¬ 
ship, tended to facilitate the humane measures then in the 
contemplation of Sir Robert Farquhar. The return of the 
young princes also produced a favourable impression on the 
mind of Radama; for while they carried with them a high 
sense of personal regard for the parties who had carefully 
watched over their interests and studied to promote their 
improvement, they unreservedly communicated their views 
and feelings to Radama himself, and to the other members 
of the community with whom they associated. Soon after 
their arrival at Tamatave, they set off for the interior with 
Mr. Hastie as their tutor. 
Mr. Hastie having in charge the horses which were 
expected to be so valuable a present to Radama, was 
obliged to travel by a different route, that selected for the 
king and his troops being impassable for beasts of burden. 
In the course of two days’ journey, Mr. Hastie had an 
opportunity of observing three instances of the transient 
nature of the domestic establishments in this unhappy 
country. Ivondron, with one exception, had been lately 
deserted. About fifty houses had been burned, and the 
walls of the remaining hundred had been very uncere¬ 
moniously taken down, to make rafts for the passage of 
the king’s troops across the lake. On the second day of 
