CHAPTER XVII

THE FRENCH IN MADAGASCAR

First rumours of the existence of Madagascar—Confusion with Zanzibar and the Komoro Islands—Portuguese discovery—French Company of the East founded to colonize the Island—Fort Dauphin—Pronis, the immoral governor—Vacher de Rochelle, King-Consort of a Malagasy Queen—French East India Company founded. Île de Bourbon colonized—The Madagascar Pirates—French found settlement of St Marie de Madagascar—Send scientific expeditions to Madagascar which first make known its peculiar fauna—Benyowski, the Polish adventurer—The Malagasy—The Hovas—English capture Mauritius and Bourbon and turn the French out of Madagascar—French regain Bourbon and re-occupy St Marie de Madagascar—First missionaries of the London Missionary Society arrive in Madagascar (1818)—Rise of Radama and the Hova power—French repulse in 1829—The shipwrecked sailor, Laborde—Queen Ranaválona and persecutions of the Christians—The Sakalavas—Prince Rakoto and Lambert’s frustrated coup d’état—Accession of Rakoto (Radama II)—Deposition and death—French concession repudiated and indemnity paid—The Laborde succession—Quarrel with France in 1883—The Shaw incident—General Willoughby—England recognizes French protectorate over Madagascar—final invasion, conquest and annexation of the Island by the French—Réunion and Komoro Islands 423