280 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
for his own prosperity, and that of his subjects, as well as 
to satisfy the wants of the numbers under his command, 
who had been accustomed to derive profit from the traffic 
in slaves, it was highly incumbent upon him, the marauding 
and plundering of petty chieftains being suppressed, to 
endeavour to introduce to the attention of his people such 
lawful commerce as might create and nurture a spirit of 
emulation amongst them, contribute to increase his own 
revenue, and raise his country to its proper level amongst 
the nations of the earth. Having again repeated these 
arguments, Mr. Hastie ventured to express his disappro¬ 
bation of the object of the expedition now under orders, 
having found that it was not destined for a maritime port, 
nor likely to be conducted in accordance with the orders 
lately published for the suppression of marauding and 
plunder. Fie also pointed out to the king the necessity of 
his forming garrisons in every port and harbour of the island, 
a system calculated effectually to secure to him the alle¬ 
giance of the inhabitants of the interior, as he could 
thereby prevent their obtaining the implements of war; 
while he would, at the same time, be enabled to barter to 
advantage the produce of his country for the supplies he 
required. 
Radama replied, that it was his particular desire to 
establish an honourable commerce; that the expedition 
under orders was not less intended for that purpose, than 
for reducing to obedience the refractory chieftains of the 
west, who provoked and even challenged him to battle ; 
that his troops, only newly disciplined, were not so inured 
to war as to afford him confidence in their steadiness, and 
he wished that they should pass a season in the field, under 
the expectation, that while they pursued his insulting ene¬ 
mies, and formed garrisons, they would also be fitting them- 
