418 VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. ciiAr. xv. 



at my departure. The prince said, God would preserve me 

 from the fever, and take me in safety to my home ; and the 

 princess added, that my family would be glad I had not 

 remained longer away. They asked to look at some portraits 

 of members of my own family which I had with me, and at the 

 engraving of my residence, which the prince told them he had 

 seen, and said it looked like a pleasant home ; the princess 

 adding, that if I had had duplicates of some, she would have 

 liked to retain a copy, but did not desire it, as I had only one. 

 She asked much about English society, about Queen Victoria, 

 — whether she travelled much from one part of the kingdom 

 to another, or had many visitors in her palace; and what 

 made the people of England so fond of her, as she had heard 

 they were. 



I said the people of England looked upon their o^vn 

 gi-acious sovereign as the most illustrious example of all that 

 was excellent and good in the relationships of life, as well as 

 in the high position which she occupied as queen, and it was 

 thus that she secured their loyalty and love. But the conver- 

 sation soon turned again upon the present and the future of 

 their own country. They said that whatever reports might 

 reach England, they hoped the English would never believe 

 they were unfriendly, for they should never change — never 

 forget that the king of England and the people of England 

 had been their first and constant friends. They spoke of 

 many things which they regretted in the existing state of 

 their country ; and expressed their earnest desires that the 

 burdens of the people should be lightened, their condition 

 improved, and the nation united and prosperous. I said it 

 would be of great importance to all parties if the Sakalavas 

 and others could, by just and equitable means, be brought to 

 view the Hovas as their friends ; and to consider union and 

 identity with them, and participation in their advantages, as 

 best for all ; and thus cement their union as one gi'eat people 



