221 
“ Blessed be the day which brought thee into the 
world—Blessed be thy parents who have taken care 
of thy infancy—'And blessed be the hour in which 
thou didst set thy foot upon our island !—The Mala- 
gos chiefs and captains, whose hearts thou hast 
gained, who love thee, and are faithfully attached to 
thee, have received information that the French king 
intends to appoint another in thy place, and that he is 
angry with thee because thou hast refused to deliver 
us to his slavery: they have therefore met, and have 
held cabars, to decide upon the manner in which they 
should act if this should prove true. Their love, and 
their attachment for thee, have obliged me, in this cir¬ 
cumstance, to reveal to thee the secret of thy birth, 
and thy rights over this immense country, all whose 
people adore thee. Yes ! I myself,—-Raffangour, re¬ 
puted the sole survivor of the family of Ramini,—I have 
renounced this sacred right, to declare thee the only 
true inheritor of Ramini. The Spirit of God, which 
reigns over our cabars, caused all the chiefs and cap¬ 
tains to make oath that they would acknowledge thee 
their ampansacabe ; that they would no more quit 
thee, but preserve thy person at the price of their lives, 
against all the violence of the French.” 
At the conclusion of this speech, Raoul rose and 
delivered his message as follows :—< 
“ I, Raoul, chief of the Saphirobai, sent to thee by 
the chiefs and captains of several united nations, de¬ 
mand that thou wilt grant to-morrow a public cabar, 
that we may render thee homage of our fidelity and 
