COMPULSORY SERVICE. 1S3 



These so-called free people have, however, in some respects 

 little freedom of action. They are divided into two great 

 classes, the hbrizimo or civilians, and the mikramila or mili- 

 tary class. Both these are liable to be called upon to do 

 any work for the Queen and Government, to cut and drag 

 timber from the forest many miles distant, to make bricks 

 and tiles, to quarry and build stone, and to perform all other 

 service required of them, and all this •without any payment. 

 This compulsory labour is called fanompoana, a word mean- 

 ing simply "service," and it appears to Europeans as the 

 greatest hindrance to progress in the country, through repress- 

 ing native talent and ingenuity. For, as all skilled workmen 

 are liable to be impressed for an indefinite amount of unpaid 

 work, they naturally do not care to be known as specially 

 gifted. It is true there are few taxes, but fanompoana in- 

 evitably becomes very unequal in distribution, every one, if 

 possible, shifting to his next lower in rank the burden he has 

 to bear. There are no salaries paid to any Government 

 officials (except school teachers), from the governors and 

 judges down to the private soldiers ; and although the 

 customs and other sources of revenue bring in considerable 

 sums, nothing is spent on harbours, lighthouses, or such 

 public works. But it is said that the Government are intend- 

 ing shortly to commence the making of roads through the 

 country, and a paved road has been already constructed from 

 the palace to the residence of the chief minister, and this 

 is to be continued through the city northwards ; a European 

 superintendent, of course salaried, being employed. As 

 yet, in these matters Madagascar has hardly advanced much 

 beyond its primitive uncivilized condition; although it may 

 be hoped that the knowledge now being diffused, and 

 the advance of intelligence, will ere long bring about 

 beneficial changes in public policy. No doubt it Avould 

 be a very difficult thing even for the Government to alter 

 suddenly the old order of things, and to impose taxes instead 

 of personal service; but a beginning has certainly been 

 made ; and through the building of the Memorial Churches 

 and other mission buildings, in all of which fair and liberal 

 wages were paid for all work done, the idea of payment 



