HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
135 
armed with muskets, many of which, instead of brass mount ¬ 
ings, had silver ones, and stocks studded with silver¬ 
headed nails. 
About six miles from the capital where Le Sage spent 
the night, he received another letter from Radama, ex¬ 
pressing his gladness on the occasion of his sleeping so near 
him that night, and lamenting again that it was out of his 
power to receive him as he desired, in consequence of 
the fire having destroyed most of his furniture and other 
conveniences, stating that otherwise he should have been 
able to receive the party, had they been one hundred in 
number. 
As Le Sage and his party, arranged in the best order 
their diminished numbers enabled them to form, were 
proceeding to the capital, the following day they were met 
by ten or twelve men, bearing upon their shoulders a kind 
of chair for the use of the agent, and sent by Radama with 
repeated regrets that the fire had prevented his sending 
what would have been more suitable for his accommoda¬ 
tion. Followed by the royal guards, Le Sage proceeded 
for the rest of the way in this elevated manner, which 
seemed to afford great delight to the crowds of people who 
pressed forwards from all parts in the hope of seeing him. 
When near the bottom of the last hill, before ascending 
that upon which the capital is situated, they requested he 
would halt a few minutes until a cannon should be ready 
to be fired,—the one previously prepared having burst, and 
another having had to be sent for. In about a quarter of 
an hour this cannon was fired, and immediately an immense 
number of soldiers came forward dancing, each with a mus¬ 
ket and spear, and some with shields made of bullock’s 
hide. Those who appeared to be the most skilful dancers 
placed themselves in a great variety of attitudes. Those 
