HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
225 
king George. About eight the party separated; and in 
returning to the house which had been prepared for our 
reception, I found it in excellent order, and decidedly the 
largest in the capital. Soon after my entering it, an 
audience was requested of me by Mr. Robin, who com¬ 
menced stating that he had taken the oath of allegiance to 
the British government, which he much respected, and that 
he was not engaged in any thing contrary to the principles 
of a British subject—that he was merely employed as a 
secretary, and was perfectly neutral; and he begged that I 
would not entertain any unfavourable impression towards 
him, so as to judge of his conduct by any previous opinion 
of his character. I replied, it was impossible for him to be 
neutral; that his stating himself to be so, was a decided proof 
he was not very candid; and as I was not sent there to dis¬ 
cuss any thing with him, I begged him to withdraw.” 
On the following day the king received Governor Far- 
quhar’s letter, and read the letters from him to the two 
princes; but made no comment upon the purport of either, 
evidently intending to give the matter his cool and delibe¬ 
rate consideration. With the present of plate from the 
governor he was much delighted, but most of all with one 
of the horses, which he mounted immediately; remarking, 
at the same time, that it was not a gift, but a part of the 
stipulated equivalent. He then invited Mr. Hastie and 
Mr. Jones to ride with him, and led them over three miles 
of excellent road, fit for any carriage; an improvement in 
the neighbourhood of the capital truly astonishing to 
Mr. Hastie, who had so often had cause to regret the want 
of such accommodation before. In the evening the travel- 
lers sat down in company with eight persons to an- excellent 
dinner, served on the plate sent as a present to the king, 
and some manufactured in the island. A servant attended 
ii. 
Q 
