332 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
the flag given by Commodore Nourse in Radama’s name ? 
mounted in the court-yard. The town itself was completely 
deserted, with the exception of one lascar, who gave the 
information, that the chief had departed the day before. 
The number of houses in Douana was then about 740. In 
the deserted habitation of the chief, many traces of order 
and regularity still remained. Neatly-raised bedsteads, 
and partitions covered with tapestry, showed that the chief 
and his family were no strangers to domestic comfort. In 
one apartment there was a well-finished India chest of 
drawers, some handsome chairs, and large mirrors; and, in 
the largest room, thirty-six feet long and twenty wide, were 
the great testimonials of the chieftain’s royalty, the skulls 
of his ancestors, preserved in a raised frame enclosed by 
hangings of white cloth. 
From this place Mr. Hastie proceeded in search of 
Andriansolo, but suffered much inconvenience and delay 
from the desertion of his guides. Before entering Majungo, 
he sent a polite note to Hussian Barroched, commandant 
of that place, to solicit an interview with him on the fol¬ 
lowing day, when he expected to arrive. 
This chieftain received Mr. Hastie and his company of 
fifty men under a tree near his own dwelling, where they 
were soon surrounded by upwards of four hundred armed 
attendants, many of whom, bearing bows and arrows, danced 
around the yard, to the music of some rude drums and 
brass dishes. Mr. Hastie endeavoured to explain Radama’s 
pacific intentions, but was replied to with the greatest inso¬ 
lence by the chief, who made no scruple to defy the power 
of Radama, and to speak of him with the utmost contempt. 
In the second interview which Mr. Hastie sought, for 
the purpose of convincing the chief of the hopelessness of 
resistance, his tone and general manner were still charac- 
