164 VISITS TO MADAGASCAR chap. vi. 



quarrying, or can-ying stones for the erection of government 

 buildings, or other equally severe labour. Several who, 

 though of considerable rank, had for a long time thus 

 laboured, and some amongst them who have since carried to 

 their graves the marks of their punishments, were my frequent 

 visitors ; others, I learned, had been tortured with stripes. 

 Some had been sentenced to imprisonment, and were then in 

 confinement ; some were wandering as outcasts from society ; 

 others, including men and women of rank and station, had 

 been loaded with rude and cumbrous fetters, and a number 

 had been put to death. 



I obtained a detailed and deeply affecting account, written 

 in the native language, with the substance of it also in English, 

 of the trials of the Christians in ] 849, the period of the last 

 severe persecution. Numbers were informed against, and 

 apprehended by officers of government bearing a silver spear 

 designated "The hater of lies," and. numbers, on the re- 

 quisition of the government, acknowledged their having en- 

 gaged in Christian worship. The nature of their offence may 

 be inferred from the subjoined recital of the practices of which 

 they were accused during the last persecution. Wlien a 

 number of them were then arraigned, it was asked by the 

 chief officer, "What is this that you do? This that the 

 queen hates — that which says believe in it or him and obey 

 the Gospel; refusing to fight and quarrel with each other ; re- 

 fusing to swear by their sisters with a stubbornness like that 

 of stones or wood ; observing the Sabbath as a day of rest ; 

 the taking of the juice of the grape and a little bread, and 

 invoking a blessing on the head, and then falling down to the 

 ground, and when the head is raised, the tears running down 

 from the eyes. Now, are you to do these things, or are you 

 not? — for such things, it is said, are done by the praying 

 people, and on this account the people are made to take the 

 oath." Then Ramary stood up before the peojjle, and said, — 



