184 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
sidered as a part of the wealth, and power, and glory of my sove¬ 
reign, whose friendship I will obtain for you. 
“ Accept, my dear Sir and Brother, the assurances of my lasting 
friendship and affection. 
(Signed) “ R. T. Fakquhab.” 
Although the despotic government of Radama rendered 
his authority absolute, as far as related to the customs and 
habits of his people, extending even to things as trifling as 
their food and clothing, there were difficulties in the 
way of the abolition of the slave-trade, which increased 
rapidly upon him when he lost the benefit of the advice 
and support of a mind more enlightened than his own; so 
that when Mr. Hastie returned to the capital, though 
received with the kindest welcome, he found the king again 
wavering in his determination, and much inclined to imagine 
the execution of the measures proposed to him impossible. 
With his habitual shrewdness and forethought, he laid hold 
of every circumstance that would be likely to operate 
against him; and even endeavoured to weaken the force of 
Mr. Hastie’s arguments, by reminding him that he had 
once told him a lie, 
The occasion out of which this idea of falsehood arose 
exhibits so striking a feature in Radama’s character, that it 
is worthy of being recorded as a proof, that, though what 
many would term a barbarous prince, he was eager to 
watch, and quick to detect, even the slightest deviation from 
the truth. 
During Mr. Hastie’s first visit to the king, he was one 
day endeavouring to prove the integrity of Governor Far- 
quhar’s intentions with regard to Madagascar, by asserting 
that no British subject could be the possessor of slaves in 
Mauritius. Where then, said Radama, are the ten slaves 
I gave to Captain Le Sage ? Four of them, replied Mr, 
