HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
277 
well as of the general progress of civilisation, under the 
instructions of the governor. 
Soon after his arrival, Mr. Hastie received a letter of 
welcome from Radama, sent by one of his officers, who 
informed him that all the chiefs and principal people of the 
low country had been directed to repair to Ambohibohazo, 
the ancient capital village, to which place Jean Rene was 
also invited, and where the Prince Rataffe was to meet the 
general assembly, for the purpose of publishing the king’s 
orders, and particularly in making known all over the 
country the most positive commands of Radama, that there 
should be a total and eternal cessation of marauding or 
plundering, and that any persons found guilty of a breach 
of his commands on this subject would be liable to the most 
severe penalties. 
At this public assembly Jean Rene declined being pre¬ 
sent in person, he could therefore only learn from his 
minister what had transpired at the meeting, and this was 
by no means satisfactory to him as an individual. The 
reason why he absented himself was, that the assassins of 
his brother Fisatra, who had lately suffered a violent 
death, were so far countenanced by the king as to be ad¬ 
mitted to the assembly, and, either from feelings of personal 
fear, or a very natural and just abhorrence of their society, 
Jean Rene refused to meet them. 
The account brought by the minister of the transactions 
of the great assembly was, that Prince Rataffe had pub¬ 
lished and declared before the vast multitude then collected 
together, that it was the positive command of Radama 
<c that all past grievances, of every nature and kind, occa¬ 
sioning animosity to exist among the chieftains, or other 
persons resident in the low country, should be forgotten, 
and buried in eternal oblivion. That each and every one 
