A ROYAL SALUTE. 191 



of troops in their white uniforms. Soon they appear upon 

 the scene, either on horseback or carried in their palanquins, 

 and occasionally on foot. On important occasions the Prime 

 Minister brings the royal message, he and the crowd of 

 officers being clad in European uniforms, gorgeous in gold 

 lace, and representing almost every kind of service, infantry, 

 cavalry, naval, artillery, &c, both of the English, French, and 

 other nations. 



Waiting to receive them are lines of inferior officers, also 

 clothed in every conceivable style of uniform, sometimes 

 rather mirth-provoking to a European by their ill-fit and 

 inappropriateness. (I have seen some in policemen's uniforms.) 

 There also are the judges in their dark-red silk lambas and 

 Paris silk hats, and groups of the head-men of the dif- 

 ferent divisions of the people of Imerina, and those from 

 distant tribes, these being clad in the native white or dark- 

 red lamba, often richly ornamented with beads and coloured 

 borders. At the upper part of the ground a space is kept 

 clear by the soldiers, as well as an open area extending some 

 little way into the mass of the seated people. After a short 

 pause the Prime Minister rises, and giving the word of com- 

 mand to the troops, they present arms towards the palace and 

 salute the Queen, the multitude uncovering and turning in 

 the same direction, while all repeat the word Trarantitra, 

 "Peach old age." The cannon are fired, and the national 

 anthem played by the band. Then the officer next in rank 

 gives the word of command for saluting the Prime Minister, 

 who stands uncovered while the troops support arms and 

 salute ; and then this officer in his turn is saluted by the next 

 in rank giving the word of command, and so on for two or 

 three steps downward. 



After these preliminaries, the Prime Minister advances to 

 the front, draws his sword, and proceeds to deliver the royal 

 message, which he usually does with great animation of ges- 

 ture and fluency of language. Almost all Malagasy are born 

 orators, and the Prime Minister is no exception to the rule, 

 being indeed a very animated and lively speaker. In these 

 royal speeches, after a short recital of her ancestry and men- 

 tion of her predecessors, the subject of the message is ap- 



