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selves, if they ever break the peace, or carry off each 
other’s cattle, or kill each other’s subjects, or have 
any design of sending witchcraft or poison into the 
enemy’s country. If a chief sue for peace from 
inability to support himself, he must humble himself 
before his opponent; and having procured from 
another chief a protection for the security of his 
person, must personally acknowledge himself a vassal. 
In this case, the conqueror presents him with the 
liver, and he, by eating it, engages to be faithful to 
him. Wars are concluded, and peace restored in 
this manner; but, as it is with some other countries, 
the peace lasts just as long as expedience or policy 
renders it desirable; and notwithstanding the solem¬ 
nity with which it is conducted, they do not feel 
themselves altogether secure, but remain on their 
guard as before. 
The contents of this chapter will, we doubt not, 
excite emotions of pain and disgust in the minds of 
our readers; and it is not our desire to repress those % 
feelings, or to extenuate in any degree the practice of 
the Madegasses, in their barbarous system of war: 
we would rather strengthen and extend them, by 
placing the horrors of war, in all cases , in their true 
colours, and by cautioning the reader against being 
deceived by names and specious circumstances. For 
our own part, we cannot discriminate, in point of 
moral guilt , between a war in Europe and a war in 
Madagascar—between a scientific bombardment of 
