HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
265 
honours being paid to the British agent, accompanied by 
the most respectful attention to the rest of the party. 
The king, splendidly dressed in an Arab uniform, received 
them on the balcony of the palace. They then presented 
the usual hasina, and afterwards partook of a dinner, 
which Radama had ordered to be prepared for them and 
other guests. 
Mr. Griffiths remained with Mr. Jones in the house 
newly erected for him by order of the king. The pupils in 
the mission-school were then twenty-two in number; one- 
third of whom were females. They had all been selected 
from the king’s family and favourites, and from the nobility. 
Among them was Rakatobe, son of Rataffe, then six years 
of age, and four young princesses. Some of these were 
already able to read in the bible, and had made considerable 
progress in other branches of education. The king, who 
was particularly pleased with their singing, used frequently 
to enter the school while they were thus employed, and 
would sometimes give out the line with which they were to 
commence. He was extremely desirous that these scholars 
should be well instructed, and that the first establishment 
of the kind in the capital should be called the Royal 
School. 
After mature deliberation, it was agreed, that, with the 
consent of Radama, Mr. Jones should continue to have the 
care of the school already commenced, consisting of the 
children of the nobles ; and that Mr. Griffiths should begin 
another for the children of the common people. Mr. Jones, 
however, being on the point of returning to Mauritius for 
a short time, it was agreed that his colleague should under¬ 
take the charge of the existing school until his return. 
It could scarcely be expected that in so early a stage of 
