CHAP. 31. 
THE TKADE OF THE ISLAND. 
35 
notice than that representing the late Duke presenting a birth¬ 
day present to one of the royal children. 
The chief topic of conversation, however, with the people 
generally had reference to the opening of the trade. They 
said there were large quantities of rice accumulated in the 
neighbourhood of the ports, that the country was full of fat 
cattle, and could supply any number required, while poultry 
of all kinds was equally abundant; but that cloth and other 
articles of European manufacture were scarce. All trade 
with the English or French, other than those residing in the 
island, was prohibited; and among the natives themselves we 
were told that a good ox could be bought in the market for 
five Spanish dollars; that in the interior of the country eight 
or ten turkeys could be purchased for one dollar, valued at 
about 4s. 2d, and a score or a couple of dozen fowls for the 
same sum. Native productions had multiplied during the 
cessation of commerce, while the stoppage of the supply of 
money from Mauritius and Keunion had made that article 
exceedingly scarce. The trade with America had somewhat 
increased since the rupture with the Europeans; and we met 
with Mr. Mack, an American connected with a mercantile 
house in New York, who told us that he had been some years 
in the country, chiefly on the western coast, and had a con¬ 
tract with the government to take all the gum, and bees-wax, 
and Indian rubber, which might be collected for several years. 
Arms and ammunition, it was stated, were the chief, though 
not the only articles which the native government was to re¬ 
ceive in return. It is not, however, probable that the trade 
with America will increase to any great extent, as horned 
cattle and rice, the two articles of export which Madagascar 
can supply in greatest abundance, are not those for which 
America is likely to furnish any demand; and the present 
policy of the native government seems rather directed to the 
subjugation of the disaffected and virtually independent tribes 
