CHAP. VII. HIS CHARACTER, PURPOSES, AND PLANS. 185 to the Imperial government, and afterwards to the English; hut being unsuccessful, he purchased a ship, sailed to North America with a cargo for Madagascar, and having there ob tained a second vessel, he proceeded to Madagascar. On reaching the neighbourhood of Antongil Bay, he seized a storehouse belonging to the French, and was only deterred from attempting to take the factory at Foule Pointe by the presence of a French vessel of war. As soon as these pro ceedings became known at Mauritius, a frigate with sixty men was sent against him. On the arrival of the ship his fort was attacked, and he was killed by the fire of the advancing troops in 1786, twelve years after his first arrival in the island. The slave trade and the wars which have subsequently de solated this part of Madagascar, have almost annihilated the tribes with whom Benyowsky was associated, and I heard of no traditions of him amongst the present inhabitants. Very different estimates have been formed of the character and proceedings of this extraordinary man. The record he has left of his own purposes and plans, lead to the inference that his views were in advance of the age ; and without attempting to justify his slave-dealing, his conniving at the unfounded report of his origin, or other parts of his proceedings, his treatment of the Malagasy was more enlightened and just than that of most Europeans who had visited their shores, •while his attempts to abolish infant murder and introduce other ameliorations of social life, indicate the exercise of human feelings. I had soon after my visit to Foule Pointe an opportunity of inspecting several documents in his own handwriting, some of which contain gratifying evidence of a benevolent disposition. While staying at this place, I walked over some exceedingly well-stocked and cultivated gardens belonging to the gentle man at whose house I had been entertained. Many useful European vegetables were growing Iierq remarkably well, in a