418 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
bound by the treaty of Radama, and that she would not 
receive him as the agent of the British government. In 
answer to his inquiries respecting a proceeding so unex¬ 
pected, and affecting so extensively the objects contem¬ 
plated by the king of England as well as to the Malagasy, 
another communication was sent, four days afterwards, 
informing him that the queen declined receiving any longer 
the equivalent which the British government had been 
accustomed to send to Radama, although she did not intend 
to revive the slave-trade in her kingdom. The latter part 
of this message allayed, in some degree, the fears of the 
Missionaries and others, as to the immediate intentions of 
the government to renew the traffic in slaves, to which they 
had regarded the rejection of the treaty, and the dismissal 
of the British agent, as only preparatory. The season was 
unfavourable for leaving the capital, and although no official 
relations subsisted between Mr. Lyall and the government, 
he continued to reside at the capital, and had occasional 
interviews with the officers of government, on matters con¬ 
nected with the British traders or residents, and was always 
treated, personally, with attention and respect. 
Early in the year 1829, as the season, which was favour¬ 
able for travelling to the coast, advanced, Mr. Lyall inti¬ 
mated his wish to proceed to Tamatave. The answer of 
the government was, “ He is to go, and his family with 
him.” About a fortnight afterwards, viz. on the 29th of 
March, he was alarmed by a large multitude of people 
coming to his house at six o’clock in the morning, headed by 
the keepers of the idol Ramahavaly, one of whom carried the 
idol on a long pole. One of Mr. Lyall’s servants had been 
seized and put in irons, himself and his sons were treated as 
sorcerers, and peremptorily ordered to leave the house, and 
proceed to the village of Ambohipeno, about six miles 
