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here all were engaged, according to their several fancies and 
abilities, in expressing their uncouth and savage merriment. 
In the following month, April, about an equal number of 
Malagassy ladies submitted to the disgusting ordeal; includ- 
ing the late king's wives, his sisters, and others of the royal 
family, the wives of the chief officers, and daughters of judges, 
with a few men, amongst whom was one judge. They all 
survived, and in due course made a grand entry into town. 
Various inferior officers and plebeians drank with them, of 
whom one officer and several common people died. 
I cannot here resist giving an anecdote respecting one of 
these females, showing that the natives are by no means desti- 
tute of the sympathies of humanity. Among the ladies was a 
princess from the Saccatawa country, with the royal family of 
which Radama had formed an alliance by his marriage with her. 
She had been treated during his reign with more respect than 
any other female; but having on one occasion attempted to 
run away and regain her native country, she had subsequently 
been closely watched, though not subjected to actual imprison- 
ment, Her establishment consisted of a few Saccatawa ser- 
vants, and exhibited no kind of pomp. She manifested no 
particular attachment for any one, and by the continued hostili- 
ties that prevailed between the Huwa and Saccatawa powers, 
all communication with her distant relatives was cut off. 
Thus defenceless and unprotected, it was absurd to suppose 
this princess could injure any one, and there was a peculiar 
severity in her case, as she had no friend to watch over the 
fairness of the administrator's conduct, or to rejoice in her 
recovery. She wept bitterly when passing to the place of 
trial, and it was interesting to observe the sympathy of the 
natives, who expressed it by what they term * mifady ahitra,” 
or an adjuration of the grass. This is performed by pluck- 
ing up a piece of grass from the ground, and holding it 
up, as to express, * May such misfortunes be far from us, 
as we would avoid treading on the very grass of the village 
where such sorrow dwells.’ On the day of the ascent to the 
town, this princess acted with a dignity quite peculiar to 
herself, Whilst all the others remained some time in the - 
