149 
Under La Haye, who possessed unlimited authority, 
the government of the island was conducted in a 
totally opposite spirit. He determined to get rid of 
those chiefs who did not acknowledge his authority. 
His first step was, in conjunction with Chamargou 
and La Case, to summon Dian Ramousay to sur¬ 
render to the French all the arms in his possession, 
and, upon a refusal, to prepare for war. Dian 
Ramousay spurned at this demand with disdain ; 
upon which La Case and Chamargou w^ere ordered 
to besiege him in his village. This order they obeyed, 
and went against him with seven hundred French, and 
six hundred Madegasses. The attack was, however, 
unsuccessful. Dian Ramousay made so vigorous 
and gallant a resistance, that the French were obliged 
to retire with considerable loss. It was the general 
opinion, that the treacherous Chamargou, piqued at 
being second in command in a country where he had 
hitherto governed alone, and moreover not relish¬ 
ing his coalition with La Case, whom he had formerly 
treated so ill, had contributed to this defeat. Be 
this as it may, La Haye was so disgusted at the 
supposed treachery of Chamargou, that he resolved 
to abandon Fort Dauphin, and to retire with his 
forces to Surat, first touching at the Mascarenhas, 
now called Isle de Bourbon. 
His departure was shortly after followed by the 
death of La Case, whose name alone kept the island 
in a state of subjection to the French. Their yoke 
had become odious and insupportable, and the natives 
