HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
283 
fully convinced that they tended to the general advan¬ 
tage of his country. Attending to the progress made by 
the children under the care of the Missionaries, he 
expressed much satisfaction, and gave fresh assurances of 
his readiness to co-operate in any measures pointed out by 
the governor of Mauritius. 
The war with the Sakalavas was now about to be renewed, 
and Radama took the field with his 13,000 disciplined 
troops, having about 7,000 persons as bearers of baggage 
and provisions. In a short time, news reached the capital 
that he had been victorious, that a few of the Hovas had 
been killed, and some wounded, but that of the enemy 
there had been great destruction, with the seizure of vast 
quantities of booty. 
It appeared that on II ad am a’s arriving in the country of 
the Sakalavas, he had sent a kabary to the chiefs, announ¬ 
cing his arrival, and stating that he had come to punish 
them for their past insults; adding, that if they were disposed 
to submit peaceably, and acknowledge him as their sove¬ 
reign, he would overlook the past, and grant them the same 
privileges as his other subjects enjoyed; but should they 
reject his terms, he would teach them who was master. 
To this message they replied boldly, “Tell Radama, we 
know he has powder, so have we; he has fire-arms, so have 
we. Radama has his own to seek, and we have ours; let 
him prepare well, and come up, and take our village if he 
can.” 
This village, the access to which is extremely difficult, is 
called Ambohidongy, (the village of the sulky.) It is 
situated on the confines of the Menabe and Betsileo 
countries, and is built on a rock well fortified, with but one 
path conducting to it. The inhabitants defended them¬ 
selves with much bravery, hurling down immense fragments 
