380 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
which he could manifest the cordial interest he felt in its 
prosperity, believing it to be among the most important 
means for securing his favourite object—the civilization of 
Madagascar. From the memory of those members of the 
Mission who witnessed and shared his attentions, the im¬ 
pression of his friendship and zeal will not soon be effaced. 
The high esteem in which Mr. Hastie was also held by 
those traders at Mauritius who had commercial connexions 
at Madagascar, deserves to be noticed. During the period 
of his agency, he possessed the full measure of their con¬ 
fidence, for they knew that no exertions of his would be 
wanting, to secure respect for their property. They trusted 
also to his prompt and friendly consideration of their inter¬ 
ests, and the zealous and vigorous measures by which he 
guarded their rights. 
Mr. Hastie appears to have been endowed with good 
natural abilities, and to have obtained a considerable degree 
of useful, general, and practical knowledge. His manners 
were free, his advice candid, his disposition generous, and 
his friendship constant: a foundation was probably laid in 
his youth, for a solid and liberal education, which, had it 
not been impeded in early life by his fondness for pleasure, 
might have raised him to still higher respectability. In 
proof of the manner in which he always endeavoured to 
turn his information to practical account, it is only necessary 
to allude to his extensive and successful practice in the 
use of medicine. His acquaintance with the theory was 
probably extremely limited, but, having paid considerable 
attention to cases falling under his notice, he qualified him¬ 
self to be of great use in many instances of illness in Mada¬ 
gascar, especially in the treatment of the fever of the country. 
His success in the management of this disease became so 
general, that both Europeans and natives referred with 
