22 7 
they gave the count a discharge respecting his past 
conduct and the accounts, and a certificate for the 
sum of four hundred and fifty thousand iivres, which 
he had advanced to the treasury. On the twenty- 
ninth they retired on board their vessel, from whence 
they sent him an order to confine his operations to the 
preservation of the chief settlement, until he had re¬ 
ceived further instructions ; to put a stop to all public 
works, and to continue the prohibition of trading with 
the blacks. These orders were accompanied with a 
permission for the count to absent himself from Ma¬ 
dagascar ; but having previously given in his resig¬ 
nation, and surrendered the command of the troops 
to M. de Sanglier, he refused to receive these orders, 
and sent them to that officer, declaring to the inspec¬ 
tors that he had in future nothing to do with the 
establishment, any further than as he was disposed to 
promote their interests with the natives. The com¬ 
missioners answered, they could not accept his resig¬ 
nation, and therefore he was bound to hold his office 
until the arrival of specific orders from his Majesty, 
which would be issued on their report. 
As soon as the Con solante had sailed, the Rhoan- 
drian and Voadziri chiefs came to Louisbourg, and 
having learned that the count had quitted the service 
of France, they required the fulfilment of his promise. 
Accordingly, the 12th of October, 1776, was ap¬ 
pointed for a national meeting to administer the oath 
of ampansacabe. In the interval, a most pressing ap¬ 
plication was made by the officers and soldiers of the 
q 2 
