392 
VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. 
CHAP. XIV. 
up roots with, a knife or hatchet, with beads and buttons, to 
barter for provisions on their way. After journeying through 
forests and swamps, over rivers and mountains, sometimes 
almost famished for want of food, they approached the 
western coast. There they were met by a party of Saka- 
lavas, the people of the country hostile to the Hovas though 
subject to them. These people seized the Hovas, plundered 
them of their guns, &c., stripped them of their clothes, and 
then sold three or four of them as slaves to an Arab trader 
who was on the coast in a small vessel. From him they 
were transferred to the French authorities at Nosibe, an 
island on the north-west coast of Madagascar, whence they 
were to be sent to Eeunion to be engaged as free labourers 
for five years. 
Before leaving, however, the letter of which they were the 
bearers had come to the knowledge of the French authorities, 
who, in consequence, kept these men at Nosibe, and sent 
other men taken out of the prison to Eeunion in their stead. 
At Nosibe they were treated with great kindness by the 
Eoman Catholic priests, who took them to their places of 
worship and endeavoured to instruct them in the Eoman 
Catholic religion. Afterwards they sent them to Eeunion, 
where the priests showed them much attention, and en¬ 
deavoured to induce them to regard their religion with 
favour. They were afterwards sent to the island of St. 
Mary’s, on the east coast, also occupied by the French; 
whence they proceeded to the mainland, and then hastened 
up to the capital. 
I was deeply interested in the account which the chief 
gave me of many of the incidents of their journey, of the 
former part of which he subsequently furnished me with an 
account in writing. He spoke of the uniform kindness they 
had received at Eeunion, and of the endeavours made to 
induce them to stay. But they did not appear to have 
