the Men went aſhore, they were for inveigling them, and drawing them into a Plot, for ſeizing the Captain and ſecuring the reſt of the Men under Hatches, when they ſhould have the Night-Watch, promiſing a Signal to come on Board to join them; propoſing, if they ſucceeded, to go a Pyrating together, not doubting but with that Ship they ſhould be able to take any Thing they met on the Sea: But the Captain obſerving an intimacy growing betwixt them and ſome of his Men, thought it could be for no good, he therefore broke it off in Time, not ſuffering them ſo much as to talk together; and when he ſent a Boat on Shore with an Officer to treat with them about the Sale of Slaves, the Crew remained on Board the Boat, and no Man was ſuffered to talk with them, but the Perſon deputed by him for that Purpoſe.
Before he ſailed away, and they found that nothing was to be done, they confeſſed all the Deſigns they had formed againſt him. Thus he left them as he found them, in a great deal of dirty State and Royalty, but with fewer Subjects than they had, having, as we obſerved, ſold many of them; and if Ambition be the darling Paſſion of Men, no doubt they were happy. One of theſe great Princes had formerly been a Waterman upon the Thames, where having committed a Murder, he fled to the Weſt-Indies, and was of the Number of thoſe who run away with the Sloops; the reſt had been all foremaſt Men, nor was there a Man amongſt them, who could either read or write, and yet their Secretaries of State had no more Learning than themſelves. This is all the Account we can give of theſe Kings of Madagaſcar, ſome of whom it is probable are reigning to this Day.
