412 VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. chap. xv. 



of procedure most suitable for them to adopt in their social 

 capacity, and in the relations they sustained towards each 

 other ; and it was past midnight when they departed. 



By daybreak the next morning I had commenced my pre- 

 parations, and brought out my camera ; and about seven 

 o'clock the prince and princess came. I had not expected 

 them so early. On this occasion, the covering of the princess's 

 palanquin, fixed something like the hood of a chaise, was 

 thrown back. The prince assisted her to step out, and then 

 led her into the house to show her the apparatus and mate- 

 rials. I then invited the princess and her three female 

 companions or attendants into my dwelling-house, while I 

 prepared the chemicals. When I was ready, the princess, 

 having changed her head-dress, came out into the courtyard. 

 She wore an olive green silk dress, and had on her head a 

 sort of cap composed of blue ribbons, with a gilt Maltese cross 

 in front ; small portions of her hair, very neatly braided in the 

 Malagasy fashion, appearing about her temples on each side. 

 She wore also a rich necklace of jewels, with earrings to match. 

 I asked her to sit as much at ease as possible. Having ex- 

 posed the plate nearly a minute, I then covered the lens, and 

 told her it was finished. As I was taking it back to the 

 house, the prince and princess asked if they might come in, 

 and, accompanied by the officer from the palace, they entered 

 with me into the dark room. They were quite astonished, 

 and the princess could not restrain the expression of her 

 surprise and wonder, as the colourless plate became darkened, 

 and the picture came out of itself more and more distinctly, 

 after I had poured the transparent mixture out of the glass 

 on its surface. Then, when I held it up, and they saw it by 

 transmitted light, her astonishment and pleasure were still 

 more manifest. Officers were stationed at the avenues lead- 

 ing to the yard in front of my house to prevent persons 

 entering ; but when the princess came out, and the prince 



