Malagasy Dictionary and Encyclopedia :

On our return from the capital, whilst traversing the forests before arriving at this village, two good specimens of the babacoote, Propithecus diadema, were shot by some of our party. On entering Beforona, our hanging up of their dead bodies preparatory to skinning them attracted a great deal of attention. One of the chiefs of the place came forward, and with tears in his eyes deplored the slaughter of the animals, begging hard for their bodies. He declared that they, the tribe of Betanimenes, had originally sprung from the ancient and respectable line of Babacootes. We mildly tried to prove that man was a distinct species; that we could admit the Betanimenes to be men and brothers, although belonging to a different variety of the human race; but we strongly objected to look upon the Propithecus diadema in that light Our arguments, liberally backed by quotations from Blumenbach, were perhaps not rendered very correctly by our interpreter, who probably believed in the truth of this legend himself. However, at all events, they signally failed to convince this dark-skinned anthropologist, who, in support of his curious theory of development, related that years ago, his father, when climbing a tall tree in the neighbouring forests in search of wild honey, was precipitated from a great height in consequence of a bough breaking. A large babacoote below, seeing his relative’s danger, and actuated by the purest feelings of family affection, stretched out his arm and caught him, and thus saved him from certain death. Our chief related this story with perfect gravity, and expected us to think it a clenching argument. He even offered us money for the bodies, but we compromised the matter by keeping the skins ourselves and giving him the carcasses, much to the disgust of some irreverent sceptics among our Bezanozano Marmites, who had expected them as a savoury addition to their evening meal.

The extraordinary similarity of the cries of the Babacootes to human screams, cries, and moans, has induced the belief among the natives that these creatures are akin to them.

A day or two after we had passed the plain of Mangoro, Mons. Lambert followed, bringing among other presents for the King an Arab horse with an Egyptian groom, and some donkeys. Whilst crossing one of the small marshy streams, the greatest depth of which could not exceed four feet, the horse was attacked on his left flank by a huge crocodile (the marks of whose teeth were shown to me after the horse arrived at the capital). The groom jumped off on the side farthest from the crocodile, who was repulsed by a kick in its jaws from the wounded horse. Disgusted with this reception the crocodile next attacked a Malagasy slave who was leading a donkey, dragged him under the water and destroyed him.

In May 1883, barely eight months after his coronation, which we had seen celebrated with so much pomp and solemnity, a complete revolution occurred in Madagascar, which deprived King Radama of his life. The fate of this prince was truly melancholy. His name is now forbidden to be spoken, and no man is allowed to inquire for the place of his burial

The following account of the revolution is extracted from a letter written by Mr. W. Ellis to General Johnstone, and published in Mauritius.

“ During the last fortnight a revolution, as complete as any ever known to have taken place in this country, has occurred. Towards such a crisis events have been for some time past inevitably tending; but not even the parties most immediately concerned in accomplishing it expected.that it was so near, or that it would proceed so far as it has already gone.

“ Though I had seen nothing to excite alarm during the day the revolution commenced, as I proceeded towards dusk to Andohalo, I found the city in great commotion: armed men in small parties or singly were hurrying through the streets; women and children, followed by female slaves carrying their most portable valuables; while companies of armed men, chiefs or nobles and their dependants, were crowding in along the great northern roads towards the Minister’s residence.

“ Some of the grounds of dissatisfaction which have now brought the reign and life of Radama to a close, have existed ever since his accession to the throne. Among them may be mentioned his destruction of an important source of the revenue of the country, by abolishing all duties on exports and imports. From this source the pay of a number of officers was derived, and from the first the nobles and officers have expressed their disapproval of the measure, while the people have been disappointed by finding scarcely any perceptible increase in sale or decrease in the price of the articles on which duty was formerly paid. Another cause of dissatisfaction has been the use of intoxicating drinks by the King, as they say his most injurious measures have been completed when he has not been sober: and their first stipulation was to prevent evil from this source in future. A third, and perhaps the most serious cause of offence on his part, has been the excluding from his councils, and from all beyond a mere nominal share of the government, of many of the highest nobles and most intelligent men in the country, and surrounding himself with a number of young men, some of them grossly immoral, most of them without position or stake in the country, as his secret and confidential advisers. Men whose families had been closely connected with the government during the last two years, some for a much longer period, men who had taken no secondary part in placing Radama on the throne, did not like to see their rank and power ignored and their places filled by men heretofore unknown; many of them with neither character nor ability, and whose chief recommendation might be, that they would be ready to advise and commend such measures as would be agreeable to the King, and to contribute to his amusement.

“ The King possessed many amiable and attractive qualities. His frank good nature won the hearts of the people, and his desire to gratify their wishes could scarcely fail to secure for him the affection of many. At the same time, the instability of his character, the want of any sound fixed principles of government, weakened confidence in his rule; while the few and feeble efforts put forth to prevent and repress, or even punish, crime when detected, grieved and disappointed his best friends, some of whom asserted that crime was increased by the impunity with which it was perpetrated ; yet all were willing to wait in hopes of a change for the better.

“ Extraordinary efforts have been made during the last three months to restore to the idols and other objects of superstitious reverence their former influence. A disease, resembling in some respects an intermittent fever, appeared also in Borne of the adjacent villages, and those affected by it were said to be unconscious of their actions, as well as to be unable to refrain from running, jumping, and dancing. These people also pretended to see visions and to hear voices from the world of spirits. They stated that they had seen the ancestors of the reigning family, and had received messages from them to the King, first, that they, viz. the spirits of his ancestors, were coming to tell him what to do; and afterwards to declare that if he did not stop the praying among the people, some great calamity would overtake him. The King seemed to be deeply interested in the disease which was said to be sent by the idols, who were enraged at the increase of the praying in the land. Though no one had more frequently ridiculed the idols than the King had done, he did not seem displeased by these pretended messages; and when the disease appeared in the capital, all the crazy dancers went to his house, where they were treated with great respect, and an order was issued requiring all persons meeting them in the streets to take off their hats as they passed them, giving to them the same homage as was formerly paid to the idols when carried in procession through the streets. The dancers being most of them female slaves, all of them heathens (for no single Christian in the capital or country was affected with the disease), it was exceedingly galling to high Hova chiefs to be obliged to uncover their heads to those whom all but the most ignorant of the people considered as deluding and deceived.

“ Shortly before this time, a female for whom the King had long shown great regard, associated herself with the Christians in their worship. The King was exceedingly angry. He declared that Jesus Christ was only a man, and that he himself was above Jesus Christ, and only below God. The female above referred to was visited with his extreme displeasure, because she would not give up praying and receiving Christian instruction. I have been repeatedly told that this circumstance, more than any other, caused the King to regard with disfavour the Christians, and that on this account alone it was intended, according to one of the King’s steady friends, to put one of the preachers to death. At the same time the influence of the idol-keepers increased, and it was said the disease would increase until the praying was stopped. A bullock was killed at the palace by order of the King, and offered to the idols, and it was reported that the heathen party meditated an attack upon the Christians. The King proposed to enact a law, that if any persons wished to fight with firearms, swords, or spears, they should not be prevented, and if any were killed the murderers should not be punished. Two days afterwards, viz. on Thursday the 7th instant, he officially announced his intention to issue that order. His friends and some of the nobles remonstrated, but he would not forego his purpose. It was also said that the Prime Minister and some of the nobles were to be assassinated.

“ The announced intention of the King to issue the order which would have legalised murder, created great consternation among all classes, and the next morning the Prime Minister, attended by from one hundred to one hundred and fifty officers and heads of the people, went to the King, remonstrated with him against the issuing of that order, telling him it was his duty, as the father of the people, to prevent violence and murder instead of sanctioning it; and when the King refused to change his purpose, the Minister went down on his knees and entreated the King in vain to pause. He then rose, and standing in front of the multitude who attended him, said to the King: ‘ Do you, before these witnesses, declare that if any one wishes to fight, to attack any other person with fire-arms, spear or sword, you will not prevent him, and that if he kills any one you will not punish him?’ The King replied in the affirmative. 'Then,’ said the Minister, ‘ we must arm.’ Turning from the King to his inends, he said, ‘ Enough, so be it Let us return to breakfast’ I was struck by the grave and silent aspect of the long procession as it followed the Minister to his own residence. Here they determined to prevent, by force, the promulgation of the law, and to destroy the authors of it Messengers were despatched to the adjacent villages and provinces, and before daybreak the next morning the whole city, including the palaces, with the exception of the southern extremity where the King resided, was in the possession of the armed bands of the ministers and nobles. The first effort of the nobles was to seize more than thirty of the Menamaso,¹ against whom they drew up a formal indictment extending to twenty specific charges, the most serious of which there is reason to fear were too well founded. Ten of the Menamaso were taken and soon afterwards put to death; several fled, some of whom have since been taken, the rest took refuge with the King, who after long resistance was obliged to give them up to be put in chains for life, but they were on the following day also put to death. The King is also reported to have threatened that he would avenge his confidential advisers on their enemies; and this, it is said, induced them to change their purpose, which was at first to remove the Menamasos and put good men in their places, but the menace of the king caused them to feel that his removal was required for their own safety, to say nothing of the danger of civil war. The King died the next morning. A paper was speedily drawn up by the nobles, setting forth the chief principles on which they wished the government to be administered. This document they sent by four of the highest of their order to Ra> bodo, stating that if she was willing to govern according to the principles set forth in that document, they were willing to offer her the throne, but that if she declined they must look elsewhere. After reading the paper and receiving explanation on some of the points, the Queen expressed her full and entire consent to the articles set forth in the paper.

These men were the confidential secret advisers of the King, on whose recommendations or by whose influence, punishment or acquittal for offences was awarded, complaints dismissed, or honours and offices distributed or sold, &c. &e. They were also a sort of inquisitors who secretly investigated all informations or accusations brought to the King against any of the people.

When it had been signed by the Minister on behalf of the nobles, and by the Queen, the firing of cannon announced the inauguration of a new reign. A copy of this paper was shortly afterwards brought by some officers and read to us. At the same time, a kabary was held at Andohalo, where the compact between Rabodo and the nobles was read, and under the title of Rasoaherena, Rabodo was proclaimed Queen of Madagascar.

“ Within an hour afterwards, an officer from the Minister required our attendance at the palace, where we were introduced to the Queen, who wore the crown and gold-embroidered scarlet lamba of the Hova Sovereigns. Her countenance was dejected, and her hair partially unplaited, a sign of mourning. We assured her Majesty, that as the government was changed, we were happy to pay our respects to her as sovereign; that the friendship which her predecessors and herself had shown towards the English warranted us to expect that the existing friendship would be preserved, and that we should receive protection, presenting at the same time our hasina. Her Majesty in reply said, that she was glad to see us, that the English had always been friendly towards Madagascar, and she wished that friendship should continue. It was her sincere desire, she added, to be friendly with England, France, and all other foreign nations, that she would protect all foreigners coming to Madagascar, and encourage their efforts to do good to the people. Her Majesty, I have been informed, repeated to the consuls of England and France her desire to perpetuate the existing friendly relations between Madagascar and those countries, and assured them that protection would be given to the subjects of both countries coming to Madagascar. I have also heard that the present government has signified to Her Majesty’s Consul here its wish to maintain the treaty entered into last year between Radama and Queen Victoria.

“ You will doubtless have been made acquainted from other sources, with the basis on which the present government has been organised. It avows,—

“ Friendship towards other nations;

“Free commercial intercourse with foreigners and protection of the latter;

“ Perfect liberty for the profession, worship, and teaching of Christianity, promising the same protection and civil privileges to Christians as are given to other portions of the community;

“ Domestic slavery is continued, but owners are at liberty to make their slaves free ;

“ The army is to be kept up;

“ Death is not to be inflicted on the will or order of the sovereign alone, but according to law and after trial;

“ The sanction or approval of the heads of the nobles and people is to be given to any proposed law before such law is promulgated and binding on the people.

“ Such are some of the chief items of the document which the Queen and nobles agreed to, and signed before the former was proclaimed Queen of Madagascar. The Queen associated herself with the King during the whole period of his differences with the nobles, never left him, used her utmost endeavours on his behalf to the very last, and, I have been told, weeps much on account of his death.

“In conjunction with the Queen, the nobles and heads of the people have been employed ever since the inauguration of the new government in revising existing arrangements which the great change requires; and it is expected that a large national kabary, or public assembly, will be convened, perhaps to-day, when the result of these deliberations will be publicly made known to the people.

“I was much struck with the regularity and order with which these great changes were effected. The houses of the obnoxious Menamaso who were put to death, were plundered and destroyed, not in obedience to orders, but according to acknowledged Malagasy usages in war. No article belonging to any other individual was touched; no other persons than those demanded by the nobles were molested in the slightest degree, though it is stated that, during the continuance of the disturbance there were nearly twenty thousand armed men in the capital, some having been marched in from a great distance. 3000 were Betsileo, from beyond Vakinankaratra, the high broken ridge of mountains to the south-west- There were but few troops with the King, and these refused to fire on the adherents of the Minister.

“ In some respects the members of the new government have begun well. One of their first acts was a most unprecedented one: they gave daily pay to the soldiers on duty at the palaces, and served out new lambas of six yards each to 8000 of the troops that came into the city during the first three days after the call of the minister and his associates. They also gave new lambas to 1500 city watchmen. Acts of this sort will make them very popular.

“ Some of the Christians are, perhaps, a little doubtful about the permanency of the present liberty and privileges; but should the existing friendly relations between England, France, and Madagascar, remain uninterrupted, the progress of Christianity, and the prosperity of Madagascar, would seem to rest on a broader and safer foundation than it has ever done before. The Christians seem to be impressed with a sense of their duty to put forth every effort of which they are capable for conveying the knowledge of Christianity to the heathen portions of the people. The preparation for the memorial churches has been but slightly interrupted, and will, in a day or two, be resumed with great activity.

“ P.S. A kabary, or national assembly, at which not fewer than 30,000 persons were present, has been held to-day. The code of laws for the kingdom has been read, and the heads of the several classes in the community, and all present seem satisfied.”

A native version of the same events in given in the subjoined letter from Rainilairivony, the Commander-in-chief, to Major A. E. H. Anson, Royal Artillery:—

“ I write to inform you as a friend, that his Majesty Radama has given too much power to the Menamaso, who were too proud to everybody by the power which his Majesty has given them, and judged the people in an unjust manner, that if any man do wrong, if he give the Menamaso money, he will be free; and they raised people that gave them money, from low rank to be generals or colonels. They also attempted to have disbanded all the Malagasy soldiers, and to kill all the chief officers, but they did not succeed. They also flattered the King that the men and women will do such shameful things which I cannot tell you, and the people grumbled at this. They also made a law which I think would desolate Madagascar: everybody was to be allowed to kill by muskets or swords, and they encouraged the idol-keepers to murder all the Christians in Madagascar, to the number of many thousands. But the Almighty God, who is the master of all things, did not wish to desolate our beautiful island.

“ On the morning of the 8th May last, all the chiefs of the different districts of Imerina, the judges, and all thp great officers of state, went to the house of his Excellency the Prime Minister to ask him to go with them, as they are going to ask his Majesty to take off these bad laws. To such a request the Prime Minister did not object, and went with them. They went up together, and waited for the King in the oourt-yard for many hours, as his Majesty was drunk the night before, and did not get up from his bed till ten o’clock in the morning. As soon as the King had dressed himself and left his bed-room, they asked him to speak to him, and, as soon as he consented, the Prime Minister spoke, and said that the people, on hearing of the new law, were afraid of such a law, and came to ask his Majesty to take it off, as it will produce civil war. At first he nearly consented, and the people were bursting with jby; but in four or five minutes his bad thoughts came to him, and he said, ‘ I will not take off my law, as that will do good for my country.’ Again the people asked him to take it off, as no one would be safe with such a law; to which his Majesty did not agree. After stopping about an hour at the Royal Chamber, they all retired, and grief was upon all the countenances of the brave. Again they returned after a few steps, and asked his Majesty whether they are to arm themselves against their enemies the Menamaso. ‘ Go and arm yourselves,’ was the reply. The people then went to the Prime Minister’s house, and told him that they will kill all the Menamaso, for these men had caused the King to make such a terrible law. For which the Prime Minister thought it would not be safe for his own life to refuse, and he immediately consented.

“ At six on the morning of the second day, all Antananarivo rose as one man in arms, and were all ready to kill the Menamaso. In an hour about ten of them were killed by the people, on the road or in their houses; and the rest, to the number of about thirty-three, fled or joined the King at the stone house, who hastened from the Palace to save them.

“ In a few moments the Royal Flag was in the midst of the people, carried by four men, who said that His Majesty asked that the rest of the Menamaso shall not be killed. The countless multitude shouted that they will fight to the last man to cut these devil Menamaso in pieces, who had so ill-judged us, and had got too much riches from ns, and had sold our wives and children to be slaves by bad judgments.

They asked the King to give to them the Menamaso, as they did not wish to shoot the King. The flag and the King's messenger returned several times, but the people did not consent.

“ The King then returned to the palace, where he was joined by his Queen and the other of the royal family, and ordered the guards to load their arms, and the Artillery of the Royal Guards to load their guns. The soldiers immediately followed the order of their sovereign, by loading the muskets with the powder, but not a single one of them put a bullet inside. The artillery-men then assured his Majesty that they had no powder, and the King called all the slaves to go up to the verandah of the big palace, and about three hundred got up there.

“ These arrangements made by the King were soon known to the officers and the people, and made them very angry, and they said, ‘ We are not to fight against our King, but we are to fight the Menamaso ; and why does the King make his guards fight against us ? ’

“On the morning of the 10th of May, Sunday, they sent many hundreds of the people without arms to the palace, to tell the King that they will not kill the Menamaso, but put them in chains. To this request the King did not consent, and at noon of the same, the people, in countless numbers, with a fearful rage, came up from the Prime Minister’s yard, and blockaded the palace. His Majesty, on seeing the people coming up, told the Menamaso that he would deliver them to the people to be put in chains, and in a few months he would disband all the soldiers and untie them, and then kill all the chief officers, and some of the chief civilians; and the Menamaso consented.

“ In an hour a message from the King arrived, and said that he will deliver the Menamaso to the people, and the people were glad to put them in irons. In the evening it was heard that the King intended to kill all the chief officers in a few months. On the second day the Menamaso were delivered to the people to be put in chains.

“The people now began to think to kill his Majesty Radama II., as they were afraid he would kill them, and to put Rabodo on the throne, as she is the heir of the throne by the will of the late Queen Ranavalona.

“ The King Radama II. was killed by the people at seven o’clock on the morning of Tuesday 12th May, and the people afterwards made very good laws: the Queen of Madagascar is no more to be despotic, the Christian is to be free from all annoyance, and the abolition of the Tangena is to be for ever. To which the Queen consented.

“ Thus ended the reign of Radatna II., King of Madagascar. I hope now that Madagascar will grow up to be a nation.

• ••••••

“ Your sincere friend,

“ Rainllairivony,

“ Coininander-in-Chief, &c. &c.”

Conclusion of the Treaty.

By our latest advices from the capital of Madagascar, which reach to the 30th of June, wo are happy to learn that H.B.M.’s Consul has successfully negotiated the English Treaty, which was signed on the 27th of that month, at the Palace of Manjakamiadana, in presence of the Queen, Prime Minister, and Chief Hova officers, seemingly amid great rejoicings. What took place on the occasion being thus described by a correspondent: —

“ After protracted negotiation and reference to the British Government, H.B.M.’s Consul obtained the acceptance of the English Treaty, on the 22nd of June, when the contents of it were, by the Queen’s orders, published to all the government officers and to the representatives of the people, the latter having been summoned from all parts of the province of Imerina. When full publicity had thus been given to the proposed Treaty, and that public opinion had decidedly pronounced in favour of its being concluded, Tuesday, the 27th of June, was fixed upon as the day for signing it, the Queen, with very great tact and judgment, selecting for her plenipotentiaries two sixteen Honours, one of them the Chief Secretary of State, the other a noble, the Chief Judge of Imerina, and the head of the civilians of that province. By this judicious arrangement, the Queen, government, nobles, and people, are alike parties to the agreement.

“ Early on the morning of the 27th, an unusual movement was discernible in Tananarivo and its suburbs. Numbers of officers in gorgeous uniforms might be seen hurrying up to the palace, in many cases followed by their wives in palanquins; all appeared bustle and excitement. Towards noon, the square of Andahalo and the road thence to the palace became crowded, the terraces, and even the tops of the houses on each side of it, being literally covered with natives in their white lambas, all evidently expecting some great event. About two o’clock P.M., eight officers of the palace in full dress on horseback, with the Queen’s band and a guard of honour dressed in scarlet uniforms, arrived from the palace, and formed on ‘ Andahalo ’ facing the British and French consulates; and on the two consuls appearing, the troops presented arms, the band playing successively * God save the Queen,’ and * Partant pour la Syrie.’ The Consuls then set out for the palace in palanquins, preceded by the officers on horseback and band, and escorted by the guard of honour. By this time the road to Manjakamiadana had become so thronged with eager spectators, of whom there must have been at least 10,000, that a passage could with difficulty be forced through the crowd. On reaching the palace gate, most of the British residents joined the eortège. (The Queen had invited the whole of the European community to be present on the occasion.) On alighting from their palanquins the Consuls, accompanied by the European residents present, on entering the inner enclosure of Manjakamiadana (in Malagash ‘ to reign in peace,’) were received by a large number of officers and troops in full dress, the latter presenting arms; also by two bands of musicians, who struck up simultaneously ‘ God save the Queen,’ and ‘ Partant pour la Syrie.’ What with ministers, officers, princesses, nobles, ladies of honour, civilians, and the tsimandors (the Queen’s confidential servants) in neat green uniforms, in all about 1000 persons, the spacious state-room of Manjakamiadana was as full as it could hold: but a passage, lined by officers, had been left from the entrance to the further end where the Queen was seated. Her Majesty, clothed in green velvet robes fringed with gold, and wearing a tiara looked remarkably well, and thoroughly the Queen. To her right, on a crimson velvet cushion, was placed her crown. In a semicircle, almost immediately in front of her Majesty, seats had been placed for the Prime Minister and Consuls. In rear of them stood the princesses and ladies of honour, all dressed in European costumes, and immediately behind them, the nobles and civilians. To the right of her Majesty were the Ministers of State and the courtiers. The whole of the court arrangements were admirable, and the ceremonies were conducted with the greatest order and decorum. The Queen rose to receive the Consuls, but received all other visitors, seated. After a few words of compliment, the British Consul asked the Queen’s permission to proceed with the signing of the treaty, and on obtaining her Majesty’s assent, after the different signatures and seals had been affixed, tended it for her Majesty’s inspection, when a salute of twenty-one guns was fired. On receiving it back, the Consul spoke as follows: —

“ * May it please your Majesty, Prime Minister, officers, nobles, and representatives of the people, I cannot allow the present occasion to pass without a few observations and words of friendly advice on the important act which has just been performed. The friendly relations existing between England and Madagascar have this day been strengthened and confirmed by the treaty which has been concluded. Its different clauses have been for a long time under the consideration of the Hova government; they have been carefully examined and fully discussed. In November last, the negotiations opened, and in December following, I received and submitted to H.B.M.’s government a note of such modifications as the Hova government desired in the original draft which I am happy to say the British Government have been pleased to admit as far as possible. The publicity which has been given to this treaty, coupled with the fact of your Majesty having very wisely deputed the representatives of the people as well as your confidential officers to sign it, whereby the people of Madagascar as well as the Government are parties to the agreement, must prevent its ever being truthfully said that I forced a treaty on your Majesty’s. Government with the stipulations of which they were unacquainted. A strict observance of the engagements which have this day been contracted will ensure to Madagascar the friendship of England; any disregard of them will plunge your Majesty’s Government into trouble and difficulties. Allow me to express a sincere hope, that with the assistance of my friend and colleague the French Consul, your Majesty may shortly be able to conclude a treaty with France, and thus secure the friendship of that country. I take the opportunity of thanking your Majesty and your ministers for the friendly spirit in which the negotiations have been carried on, and for the courtesy and consideration I have met with. As I am about leaving for Tamatave, I commend to the special care and protection of your Majesty and your officers not only all British, but all European residents at Antanarivo. It now only remains for me to pray God, which I do most fervently, to grant unto your Majesty a long, happy, peaceful, and prosperous reign; to dispose the hearts of your ministers to love and respect truth and justice, and those of your subjects to respect the laws of their country.’”

The Queen thanked the British Consul for the words he had spoken, stating that the Treaty engagements W’ould be faithfully executed, as her Government and the people wished to be friends with England. Her Majesty also expressed her sincere thanks to the British Consul for the manner in which he had conducted the negotiations, and then addressing the French Consul, said, that her Government desired also the friendship of France. The Consuls then took leave of the Queen, and were reconducted to their respective consulates with the same ceremony as on leaving for the palace.

Appendix

Madagascar and the Malagasy, by S. P. Oliver