irs
of the settlement. While they were there he took the opportunity of
giving up the command of the settlement to another officer, and entirely
dissolved his connection with it and with France, though he at the same
time, with the other chiefs, expressed his desire to live on friendly
terms with the inhabitants, and to support the settlement to the best of
his ability. He employed some time after this in consolidating his
power and in improving the condition of the people. He also drew up a
constitution, which for those days was of the most liberal character.
Having done all he could to civilise the people, he resolved to go to
Europe to establish mercantile relations with different countries for
the improvement of the commerce of his adopted country.

In France, though he had some friends who welcomed him cordially, he was
coldly received by those in power, though his course was supported by
the celebrated Dr Franklin, who was at that time in Paris. At length,
quitting the country, he went to England; but though he offered to place
the country under the protection of the English Government, no
encouragement was afforded him. All his hopes in Europe having failed,
he set sail for the United States, in the vessel he chartered with a
cargo of goods suited to the markets of Madagascar. After remaining for
some time in the United States and obtaining another ship and cargo, he
reached Antongil Bay in July 1785. He was here cordially welcomed by
the chiefs, but instead of going into the interior and assuming the
reins of government, he remained on the coast for the purpose of
establishing trading-posts where his goods might be disposed of. He had
captured one port from the French, and was engaged in repairing a fort
built by them, when a body of troops landing from a French frigate
attacked him. He retired with some few Europeans and natives into the
fort, where he attempted to defend himself. The French advanced, he was
shot through the body, and being ignominiously dragged out, directly
afterwards expired. Poor Count Benyowsky! I could not help feeling
sorrow when I heard of his sad fate.

The climate of the low lands near the seashore was, from what we heard,
_very_ unhealthy, but in the hill country of the interior it is as
healthy as any part of the world. We heard a good deal of the English
and French pirates, who had formed, a century before, some flourishing
settlements on the northern coasts. The nam