HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
129 
it was a “ little chicken crying for its mother.” Impoina 
took the hint, sent for his wife home, and the dispute which 
had separated them terminated. 
Whatever may have been Radama’s improprieties of 
conduct during the last few years of his life, it is certain 
that his advance to maturity was remarkable, in a licentious 
country, for self-command, temperance, and moral purity. 
So strongly marked were these features in his character, 
that his father questioned whether he could entrust to him 
the reins of government, regarding the absence of the pas¬ 
sions so prevalent amongst all around him, as indicative of 
a feeble mind. And much as it may betray the viciousness 
of the habits of the people, yet as illustrative of their 
manners it must not be concealed, that rewards were 
actually offered by Radama’s father to those who could 
allure him into the practice of lewdness. Unhappily their 
efforts were but too successful; and these enemies, under 
the disguise of friendship, being afterwards supported by 
others, whose European vices were at least more refined, 
laid the foundation of an irreparable injury to the character 
and constitution of a prince, who, instead of falling in the 
prime of life, when his superior judgment was most needed 
in the councils of his nation, might otherwise, in all pro¬ 
bability, have lived to a good old age, a father to his people, 
and a blessing to the land of his birth. 
It may not be inappropriate in this part of the history to 
give a brief sketch of the degree of civilization to which 
Radama had attained, at the period when he was first 
visited by the agents of the British government. 
His manners were at that time, as may be supposed, 
wholly governed by the usages and customs of his country. 
The few Europeans, who had previously visited the capital, 
had gone there neither to seek any permanent residence, 
ii. 
K 
