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that that officer, after his marriage with Dian Nong, 
could no longer be considered as a subject of France, 
that event having in reality given him the sovereignty 
of the principal part of the island, as well as the pro¬ 
vince of Amboule; and therefore to continue the 
proscription against him any longer, would soon raise 
the whole island in opposition to the garrison. No¬ 
thing, however, that he could advance, had any effect 
upon the obstinate prejudices of the governor, and 
the very existence of the colony was on the point of 
being sacrificed to his resentment. Despairing of his 
influence, Kercadio applied to a barrister, who, by a 
singular accident, happened to be on board his vessel. 
It seems his brother, who was a dissolute character, 
had so greatly offended his family, that they applied 
for a lettre-de-cachet to attach him to the expedition 
to Madagascar. The barrister was to undertake the 
charge of him to Nantz, and having incautiously been 
inveigled into a spunging-house, the agent kidnapped 
him instead of his brother, who, by paying a sum of 
money, was suffered to make his escape. 
To this gentleman Kercadio applied, and begged of 
him to use his authority and talents in making the 
governor sensible of his folly and baseness. For¬ 
tunately the barrister had the honour of being known 
to Marshal Meilleraye, whose name, at that period, 
was in high reputation; and who possessed very 
great influence in France. He therefore represented 
to Chamargou, that he should consider himself bound 
in duty to give the Marshal a detailed account of the 
