364 VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. chap. xiii. 



until the evening, when one of the officers of the palace came 

 and took tea with me, talking about many things for the 

 good of the kingdom. After he had left, a number of friends 

 came, among them the widow of a Christian friend whom I 

 had knowTi in Tamatave in 1854, but who had died of fever. 

 Also the widows and orphans of those who had been put to 

 death for their faith. They were plain, quiet, sorrowful 

 women, scarcely past middle age. One of the children, to 

 whom I promised some medicine, was much afflicted. It was 

 a very affecting meeting. I spoke kindly to them, until at 

 length they rose and retired with their friends. 



Two days after this, I prepared for another excursion into 

 the country, having been invited to accompany the prince 

 and his wife, the princess Eabodo, on a visit to Mahazoarivo, 

 the country-house of the late Eadama. A little before noon 

 a messenger came to say that the prince and princess were 

 about to leave the palace, and I was to follow the messenger. 

 As we approached the palace, they were descending towards 

 the road. A friendly officer of the palace met me and told me, 

 that, as this would be my first public recognition by the mem- 

 bers of the queen's family, I had better offer a hasina, or gift 

 of a dollar, as no one approaches the representative of the 

 queen without it. The avenue leading to the palace gate was 

 completely crowded. Two officers of high rank, in rich uni- 

 form, approached, and soon after the prince, in an open 

 palanquin. He shook hands with me very cordially ; and in 

 a few minutes the princess, in an open palanquin, came up. 

 She held out her hand and bade me welcome, sa5dng the 

 queen was glad I was going with them. I acknowledged her 

 kindness, and then presented to the chief officer attending 

 her the hasina. The officer immediately exclaimed, " He 

 makes hasina to the queen ! " and the prince and princess 

 appeared pleased. An officer then directed my bearers to 

 their place in the procession, and we proceeded down the 



