CHAP. X. MALAGASY LOYALTY AND ETIQUETTE. 269 



remarking to him that it was from no want of respect to my 

 host, or to the parties whose health was proposed, he said he 

 understood it was on account of religious scruples, and that 

 he had been told that the Christian law prohibited the use of 

 wine. I was glad of the opportunity thus afforded of correct- 

 ing his mistake, and told him the Bible did not prohibit the 

 drinking of wine, but condemned drunkenness, which was a 

 great sin and a great calamity; that although I never had 

 any inclination to excess, I had for many years discontinued 

 the use of wine as an ordinary beverage, and that with 

 apparent advantage to my health. I added, that numbers of 

 people in my own country adopted the same course, and that 

 the drinking of wine and all sorts of spirituous liquors was, 

 of late years, very much diminished among the respectable 

 classes of society. 



I could not help noticing on this, as well as on a former 

 occasion, the apparent ardour of loyalty with which the 

 health of the prince was received and drunk by the company 

 standing, immediately before that of the queen, which, 

 according to Malagasy etiquette, is always the last toast pro- 

 posed, and is the signal for the departure of the governor and 

 the chief officers. WTien this is proposed the company all 

 rise, the band in the courtyard plays what may be called the 

 Malagasy national anthem, and, when the glasses are emptied, 

 all exclaim, " Long live the queen ! " or " May the sovereio-n 

 live for ever ! " About nine o'clock the governor and the 

 officers retired, and I proceeded to my own house, where I 

 found a number of friends assembled, and had the satisfaction 

 of receiving pleasant tidings from the capital. 



The feasting and dissipation connected with the obsequies 

 of the late M. Delastelle having terminated, the preparations 

 for my journey were soon completed. The son of the 

 governor of the adjacent province to the northward, and one 

 or two other friendly chiefs, had arrived at Tamatave for the 



