352 VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. chap. xiii. 



words : " Marie ! congue sans peche ! priez pour nous, 

 qui avons recours a vous.''^ At the bottom was the date 

 1830. The prince said he had no wish to become a Eoman 

 Catholic ; but I could not help reflecting, that had it so 

 occurred that the princess, after wearing the crucifix, had 

 become a mother, this might have been ascribed to the 

 influence of the symbol, or the efficacy of the Virgin's in- 

 tercession ; and thus a very different effect might have 

 been produced on their own minds, and on those of many 

 of the people. 



We conversed a long time on a number of subjects not 

 connected with religion, in some of which the prince was 

 deeply interested ; and becoming greatly excited, spoke with 

 a degree of earnestness and animation which, considering 

 the quietness of his manner during the early part of our 

 interview, I had scarcely expected. At length the prince, 

 accompanied by his friend, took his leave, assuring me of the 

 gratitude which he felt for my visit to his country, and the 

 extreme pleasure he had derived from our conversation. 



Two companies of friends, who had been waiting in an ad- 

 jacent house while the prince was with me, came in soon 

 after he had left. They had many questions to ask, and 

 many messages of kind and cordial welcome to deliver from 

 multitudes of others who had not been able to come personally 

 to my dwelling. They all expressed themselves gratified by 

 the cordial welcome I had received from the queen, as 

 evinced' by the presents which had been sent to me during 

 the day. 



On the following morning, one of my bearers having in- 

 formed me that they wished to return, I directed them to 

 come to me altogether ; and then, reading over their names, 

 I paid each man the stipulated amount, expressing my gra- 

 titude for the attention and care they had manifested during 

 the journey. They were quite delighted with the sum they re- 



