HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
421 
Mr. Lyall proceeded to Mauritius, where he died shortly 
afterwards. The treatment he received at the hand of the 
native government was severely censured by the secretary 
of state for the colonies at the time, by command of the 
prince regent; and the authorities in Madagascar were 
warned against a repetition of their conduct. Mr. Lyall’s 
servant was liberated, after having been confined nine days 
in irons, as this was deemed sufficient to inspire the natives 
with the dreadful anger of the idols, and to show that his 
restrictions were not to be violated with impunity. 
It has been already observed, that twelve months was the 
usual period of mourning for a sovereign in Madagascar; 
but for special reasons, the government was induced to 
order that the mourning for Radama should cease at the 
end of ten months : it closed accordingly at the 27th of 
May, 1829, and the people resumed their ordinary 
avocations. 
Preparations were now made for the coronation of Rana- 
valona, which was observed with a degree of barbaric splen¬ 
dour, in perfect keeping with that which attended the funeral 
of her predecessor. 
The following account of the pageant and ceremonies 
has been furnished by Mr. Jones, who was present on the 
occasion: 
On Thursday, the 11th of June, the firing of cannon at 
six o’clock in the evening,* on the west side of the palace, 
announced the beginning of the day of coronation, onwdiick 
Ranavalona was to be publicly recognized as sovereign, and 
to receive the homage of the people. On Friday the 12th, at 
the dawn of the morning, or the 12th hour of the Malagasy 
day, fourteen cannons were fired as a signal for the people 
The Malagasy day begins at 6 p.m., and not at midnight. 
