HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
297 
of the party were to labour for four months on the public 
account, he would require those who were disposed to 
begin on their own accounts, to attend only one day out 
of the four at the public works, which, from the present 
time, would allow them three-fourths of their time to labour 
for themselves, in erecting dwellings and forming enclo¬ 
sures ; and he promised to supply every person who con¬ 
structed a fence, with seeds and plants sufficient for the 
land he had thus enclosed. 
Rafaralahy’s address was received with applause; and 
the chiefs of the people replied, that their promises to the 
king first required that they should complete the public 
works, which duty performed, they would avail themselves 
of his offer, and apply for such situations as they might 
consider suitable for their purposes. 
One thousand eight hundred men being now at work, 
the time was completely occupied by those who had the 
charge of them, in superintending the laying out of land 
for cultivation, in sowing and planting, and preparing 
timber for enclosures. 
While these useful occupations were going on at Foule 
Point, Mr. Hastie went to Tamatave for the purpose of 
obtaining a supply of cattle and rice from the chieftains of 
that place. Jean Rene expressed great pleasure in the 
timely arrival of Rafaralahy at Foule Point, stating, that 
had the party been delayed only a few weeks, all the low 
country would have been in a state of warfare, a coalition 
having been formed in the north to attack the district 
governed by him. The newly-established settlement, how¬ 
ever, afforded him so much confidence of security, that 
ever since their arrival, he had occupied himself at his farm 
without apprehension of danger. 
Finding it requisite to visit Mauritius, on account of 
