320 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
During this expedition along the coast from Tamatave 
to Vohimaro, Radama took advantage of various oppor¬ 
tunities for urging upon the minds of his people the im¬ 
portance of having their children instructed by the Mis¬ 
sionaries. In the declarations which he made to the 
chieftains of the districts through which he passed, he told 
them that he had white people at his capital teaching his 
children and people ; and that if they wished to have their 
children taught, they should send them to Tananarivo, 
where they should be instructed with his own people; add¬ 
ing, that he would take care of them, and provide for them 
whatever was necessary for their comfort, while they were 
learning, and becoming as well informed as the children of 
Ankova. In three or four instances the king’s advice 
appeared to be adopted, and a number of youths accom¬ 
panied him towards Imerina; but before he reached the 
province, the love of home prevailed, and every one of 
them returned to their families. 
In the month of March, 1824, his majesty sent for Mr. 
Hastie and the Missionaries, as he had a communication of 
some importance to make to them. On reaching the house 
called Besakana, in the court-yard, they received a mes¬ 
sage to the following effect—that the king wished the three 
schools already opened in the capital, to be joined into one, 
and called the Missionary Seminary, or Central School; 
that it should be held at the new building erected by Mr. 
Griffiths, and be deemed the parent institution, a sort of 
model or normal school for all the schools that might be 
formed in any part of his dominions. The king requested 
that Messrs. Jones and Griffiths would superintend this 
seminary, and that Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Griffiths would 
take charge of the female school. 
With this request the Missionaries willingly complied, 
