Introduction 
XXI 
of food to be brought from France. The failure of this 
venture, therefore, was complete, and amongst the records 
is to be found a confiteor of Colbert, which indicates the 
chagrin felt by courtiers and citizens in Paris. 
A letter, written to Montdevergue by the King, expresses 
the royal irritation ; whilst an accompanying letter from 
Colbert to the unfortunate marquis exhibits the famous 
minister in a most favourable light Meantime, the share¬ 
holders refusing to part with more money from their de¬ 
plenished purses, Louis was forced to abandon his project 
with reluctance ; and a squadron was despatched under 
Admiral de la Haye, who was deputed to supersede 
Montdevergue, to take over the colony for the crown, 
and then to push on to the great Indies and do his best to 
oust the Dutch flag from those coasts, although war was 
not to be declared with Holland until April 1672. 
This brief outline of the circumstances under which the 
French first established a colony in the south of Mada¬ 
gascar will serve to indicate the conditions under which 
the Sieur Dubois embarked on board the Saint Paul (one 
of the Company’s ships, despatched in 1669 to convey the 
King’s messenger, Captain de Preaux Mercy, with letters 
of reprimand to M. de Montdevergue, giving him the 
option of returning or of reforming his administration under 
the new Viceroy sent to supersede him) seemingly to find 
official employment at Fort Dauphin through the recom¬ 
mendations of his patron, Councillor Loyseau. Nothing 
is known about Dubois beyond what he has himself told 
us; and although, in his dedication, he informs his patron 
that he possesses materials for more books of travel, the 
reception which his work met with from the public does not 
seem to have encouraged him to publish another volume. 1 
1 Curiously enough, there is an anonymous work, dealing with the affairs 
of the French colony in Madagascar between 1662 and 1666, the author of 
which returned to France in the Saint Paul. This work was not published 
until 1722 by M. Carpeau du Saussay; and it is not impossible that the 
