102 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
“In order,” says the writer, “to appreciate this conduct 
justly, it must be considered, that money was, to the king 
and his subjects, a great novelty; and that they attached 
to it a degree of value probably surpassing that of the most 
avaricious miser, looking upon it as their chief means of 
happiness. This passion, no doubt, found in the king’s 
mind a counterpoise in his feeling for our distress; but the 
effort must have been to him trying in the extreme. I have 
no correct idea what part he reserved for himself, but con¬ 
clude it was considerable; and I think it was kept buried 
in the earth, as I have known the king afterwards ask a 
dollar out of the very money he had given us. 
“ Much as there was in his conduct to extol and speak 
gratefully of, it is a painful thing to draw aside the veil, 
and to reveal an infirmity in a character so truly exalted as 
that of our protector; but our poor black prince was not 
exempt from one of the worst habits of his subjects. He 
was often seen to have proceeded on his voyage a good deal 
farther than fi half-seas over but he never seemed to lose 
recollection, and always maintained a certain dignity. 
Like the Macedonian monarch, he gave frequent occasion 
to appeal from Philip drunk to Philip sober; and, though 
the idea was not exactly clothed in the garb of classic taste, 
it was perfectly intelligible, when he used to say, 6 To-day 
brandy speak, to-morrow king speak.’ A slight recollection 
of the circumstances of delicacy attending our situation, 
must make it appear a remarkable thing, that, dependent as 
we were, wholly on the bounty and protection of this prince, 
accustomed, whether in full possession of his mind or other¬ 
wise, to have all around him bending to his will, nothing 
ever occurred, in regard to us, incompatible with the most 
perfect courtesy. He often visited our huts; but always, 
even when in an inebriated state, behaved with kindness 
