134 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
him pre'sents of poultry and other provisions. By the last 
messengers he inquired if Le Sage could wait until he 
assembled all his people to receive him in state, or whether 
he should receive him simply with his own soldiers, which 
last proposal was much preferred by Le Sage, on account 
of the exhausted state of himself and his party. The 
people now began to bring to the travellers provisions ready 
cooked, with quantities of rice; the orders of Radama 
having been, that the chiefs of the territory through which 
they passed, should furnish the party gratuitously, and on 
their own demand, with whatever rice, milk, or other pro¬ 
visions they might desire, and these orders were to be 
obeyed as if they proceeded immediately from the king 
himself. 
On approaching the capital, the party were agreeably 
surprised by a fresh assurance of welcome, conveyed in a 
manner by no means indicative of a barbarous state of 
society. A company of persons, about eighty in number, 
suddenly appeared running towards them, divided into 
parties of twenty, and bearing on their heads rice, fruits, 
and different viands for the refreshment of the travellers, 
which all partook of on the spot, while the hospitable 
strangers danced and sang around them. They proved to 
be some of the most distinguished families forming the 
court of Radama. Their dress was very elegant, the 
women being adorned with silver chains, necklaces, and 
anklets, and their garments, consisting of a dark purple 
cotton lamba, wound round the body, and hanging in grace¬ 
ful folds so as to exhibit the knotted fringe in the most 
pleasing manner. The men wore on their heads a silver 
ornament somewhat resembling a coronet, and round the 
waist a belt, with a pouch for containing their amulets. 
They also had silver ornaments like the women, and were 
