HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
217 
for that purpose ? Although your government violated the 
treaty, and discontinued intercourse with me, I would gladly 
have paid for the education of the boys !” An expression 
as characteristic of Radama as it was honourable to the 
chieftain of a partially civilized people. 
Influenced by the circumstances already mentioned, 
which were considerably aggravated by the intrigues of 
parties ever anxious for the renewal of the horrible traffic 
in slaves, Radama permitted the slave-trade to recom¬ 
mence; and that it was again carried on extensively, is 
obvious from General Hall’s letter to the right honourable 
Lord Bathurst in 1818, wherein he states that “three car¬ 
goes had been imported during the preceding fortnight, 
notwithstanding all his efforts to forbid such illegal impor¬ 
tation of slaves into the colony.” The conduct of General 
Hall brought lasting disgrace on the British name, and 
added another to the melancholy catalogue of events illus¬ 
trative of the calamitous results of even temporary power 
in the hands of weak or wicked men. It is but due to the 
British government to state, that the conduct of the 
acting governor was severely condemned. 
The slave traffic continued to be carried on until the 
return of Sir Robert Farquhar in July, 1820. After due 
attention had been given to the immediate and pressing 
duties of the colony itself, his excellency matured and car¬ 
ried into execution his plan for renewing the treaty already 
made with the king of the Hovas. 
At this time Radama was engaged in one of those mili¬ 
tary expeditions to which he subsequently devoted his chief 
attention, and which were the means of a great accession 
of territory. Hitherto Radama had marched into the field 
with few advantages, beyond his own personal valour, over 
the chieftains around him; but he was now beginning to 
