HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
263 
on that day beginning a school with three children. The 
next day the number was increased, and subsequently more 
were added. An appropriate residence being required, 
Radama laid the foundation of a new house for Mr. Jones, 
and sprinkled it, according to the usage of the country, with 
sacred water. The people were astonished to find the king 
performing this act for a stranger and a white man, it 
having been the practice for him to restrict the ceremony 
to members of his own family. His object, however, was 
to give a public testimony of his respect for the Missionary, 
and thus to obviate the prejudices and conciliate the esteem 
of the natives, and to facilitate his labours among them and 
their children. 
While Mr. Jones was attending to the improvement of 
his pupils, whose quickness and attention afforded the 
most satisfactory evidence of their capabilities, his future 
companion in the Missionary labour, the Rev. David Grif¬ 
fiths, who, having been sent to his assistance, had arrived at 
Mauritius, was availing himself of every means that island 
afforded for acquiring the Malagasy language. His excel¬ 
lency Governor Farquhar had expressed his satisfaction in 
finding the Mission about to be reinforced, and recom¬ 
mended Mr. Griffiths to await the good season before em¬ 
barking for Tamatave in company with Mr. Hastie, who 
kindly invited him to his house, where he had the oppor¬ 
tunity of increasing his knowledge of the language by 
constant association with some native youths. 
About this period, a prince of the island of Johanna, with 
his suite, visited Mauritius, and was hospitably entertained 
by the British government, the particular charge of the 
visitors devolving upon Mr. Hastie. By this means, Mr. 
Griffiths had opportunities of meeting them frequently, and 
conversing with them respecting the language, manners, 
