424 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
as they walked along. The numerous troops on duty at 
the capital, called Tsimandoalahy, armed with muskets, 
and dressed in their uniform, brought up the rear. 
Passing through the northern gate, the procession ad¬ 
vanced between lines of soldiers, followed by crowds of 
people shouting and singing. In order to proceed accord¬ 
ing to established usage along the old line of road of Andri- 
ampoinimerina, it was deemed necessary to proceed by a 
circuitous route, rather than by the broad and straight 
road made by Radama from the palace to Andohalo.* 
When the queen entered the place of assembly, she was 
carried towards the sacred stone, which stands about one 
hundred yards north-west of the platform on which the 
sovereign usually appears. Alighting on the south side of 
the stone, her majesty ascended it, and stood with her face 
towards the east, being surrounded by five generals, each 
holding his cap or helmet in one hand, and a drawn sword in 
the other, the band at the same time playing the national 
air. The queen, standing upon the sacred stone, exclaimed, 
“ Masina, masina, v’aho ?” i. e., “ Am I consecrated, con¬ 
secrated, consecrated ?” The five generals replied, 66 Ma¬ 
sina, masina, masina hianao !”—“ You are consecrated, con¬ 
secrated, consecrated!” Then all the crowd shouted, 
“ Trarantitra hianao, Ranavalomanjaka !” i. e., “ Long may 
you live, Ranavalomanjaka !” The queen, then descending 
from the stone on the east side, took the idols Manjaka- 
tsiroa and Fantaka into her hands, and addressed them, 
saying, “ My predecessors have given you to me. I put 
my trust in you ; therefore, support me.” She then deli¬ 
vered them into the hands of their respective keepers, 
entered her palanquin, and was borne towards the platform, 
which she ascended by the east side. 
* A large space, of an oval form, about seven acres in extent, and exceed¬ 
ingly well adapted for public assemblies. 
