378 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
labours, and succeeded, perhaps, beyond his own most 
sanguine expectations. In reference to the king, although 
he was clear and decided in his statements, inflexible and 
uncompromising in maintaining the truth, he always en¬ 
deavoured to influence him rather by persuasion, and by 
suggestions which might find their way to his own judg¬ 
ment, and awaken and stimulate his own reasonings and 
wishes, than by any remarks which the king could deem 
intrusive or dictatorial. He knew Radama’s vanity, and, 
without offering adulation, endeavoured to prompt and 
lead him on to exertion, by appearing merely to give the 
hint, and then allowing the credit of the measure to be 
appropriated by the monarch himself—thus in reality effect¬ 
ing far more than he could have done by direct proposals 
and urgent solicitations. He wished Radama to exhibit 
before his people, so far as he could, by his own royal 
example, a pattern of industry and improvement to his 
people—to be, in short, the principal builder, merchant, 
cultivator, planter, and gardener in the kingdom. His 
influence with the king increased rapidly, from the time 
of their first acquaintance. Radama was cautious, but he 
showed in many instances, that he placed a confidence 
almost unbounded in the opinions and judgment of the 
British agent. 
It would be fruitless to attempt anything like an account 
of the individual instances in which Mr. Hastie endeavoured 
to promote the great work of civilization in Madagascar 
The introduction of the first protestant Missionaries to the 
capital; the wise, humane, and judicious counsels he gave 
to Radama; and the faithful, laborious, persevering efforts 
made to effect the abolition of the slave-trade, and the sup¬ 
pression of the piratical attacks on the Comoro Islands,— 
have been already detailed. His successful efforts with the 
