HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
233 
The old man heard Mr. Hastie very patiently, admitted 
that all he said was very good, and to the advantage of 
Madagascar; but the breach of a treaty entered into with 
much precaution and deliberation, could not be excused. 
“ However,’’ said he, “ the king must decide for us. He, 
some time ago, on renewing the sale of slaves, promised 
that he would not again suppress the traffic, and we then 
agreed to increase his revenue from one dollar to two and 
a half for each sold. This enables him to make the im¬ 
provements you must have noticed; and we have just 
returned from a war with the Sakalavas, wherein we suf¬ 
fered much fatigue, and have given a general permission 
for selling.” 
The man stated, that about a thousand were then on sale 
at Tamatave, and a vast number were sent down that had 
been contracted for. He said that many traders had now 
adopted a plan of sending up native women to trade for 
them; and that, on the whole, the nation was every day 
improving so much as quite to astonish him. He spoke 
highly of the discipline of the troops, and of Mr. Brady, by 
whom the alteration in their general appearance and con¬ 
duct had been effected, and he seemed to consider his 
services as of great consequence to the country. 
At dinner Mr. Hastie and the aged councillor were joined 
by the king, who, appearing to be most pleased with some 
of the articles of food from England, an opportunity was 
afforded Mr. Hastie to remark, that Madagascar had not 
the resources of England, which occasioned its dependence 
upon it; but the industry of the people would, in some 
measure, remove the wants it suffered; and this led to a 
general conversation on the advantages arising from industry. 
The king related to his people, who sat around him upon the 
ground, the purport of the conversation, in such a manner, 
