CHAP. VII. HTS CHARACTER, PURPOSES, AND PLANS. 
185 
to the Imperial government, and afterwards to the English ; 
but being unsuccessful, he purchased a ship, sailed to North 
America with a cargo for Madagascar, and having there ob¬ 
tained a second vessel, he proceeded to Madagascar. On 
reaching the neighbourhood of Antongil Bay, he seized a 
storehouse belonging to the French, and was only deterred 
from attempting to take the factory at Foule Pointe by the 
presence of a French vessel of war. As soon as these pro¬ 
ceedings became known at Mauritius, a frigate with sixty men 
was sent against him. On the arrival of the ship his fort 
was attacked, and he was killed by the fire of the advancing 
troops in 1786, twelve years after his first arrival in the island. 
The slave trade and the wars which have subsequently de¬ 
solated this part of Madagascar, have almost annihilated the 
tribes with whom Benyowsky was associated, and I heard of 
no traditions of him amongst the present inhabitants. Very 
different estimates have been formed of the character and 
proceedings of this extraordinary man. The record he has 
left of his own purposes and plans, lead to the inference that 
his views were in advance of the age ; and without attempting 
to justify his slave-dealing, his conniving at the unfounded 
report of his origin, or other parts of his proceedings, his 
treatment of the Malagasy was more enlightened and just 
than that of most Europeans who had visited their shores, 
while his attempts to abolish infant murder and introduce 
other ameliorations of social life, indicate the exercise of 
human feelings. I had soon after my visit to Foule Pointe 
an opportunity of inspecting several documents in his own 
handwriting, some of which contain gratifying evidence of 
a benevolent disposition. 
While staying at this place, I walked over some exceedingly 
well-stocked and cultivated gardens belonging to the gentle¬ 
man at whose house I had been entertained. Many useful 
European vegetables were growing here remarkably well, in a 
