241 
It does not appear whether this document was ever 
presented. If it were, it fell to the ground ; for the 
count, finding he could meet with no countenance 
from the British ministry, set sail for America, where 
he arrived at Baltimore, in July 1784, in the Robert 
and Ann, Captain M‘Dougall, from London, with a 
cargo suitable for the Madagascar trade, worth about 
four thousand pounds. Here he obtained another 
ship and cargo, of equal value, with which he sailed 
for Madagascar, in October 1784. His family he 
left in America, on account of Madame Ben- 
yowsky’s pregnancy. The crew's of the vessels 
were, by agreement on oath, subject to his absolute 
command. 
The vessels first touched at Sofala, where he re¬ 
mained some time for refreshment. It appears he 
did not make the Cape of Good Hope, for fear of 
exciting the jealousy of the Dutch. On the 7th of 
July, 1785, he cast anchor in Antangora bay, ten 
leagues south-west of Cape Sebastian, in Madagascar, 
where the cargo was landed, and an encampment 
formed. It was the count’s intention to go overland 
to Antongil bay, and to send the ship round to the 
same place. While encamped, his old friend Lam- 
bouin, the king of the north, came to pay his respects 
to him ; and the sovereign of Bayana, also, who had 
formerly been his greatest enemy, came with a large 
body of Seclaves, and encamped near him. The 
count proposed to him the usual oath, but he declined 
it for want of time. After his arrival at Antongil 
R 
