HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
457 
allow a slave to learn to read, on pain of forfeiting such 
slave, and being himself reduced to slavery; and every 
slave was forbidden to learn, under the heaviest penalties. 
The arrival of Mr. and Mrs. Atkinson has already been 
noticed ; they accompanied Mr. Freeman to the capital, hav¬ 
ing obtained permission to remain one year in the country. 
Their skill in teaching, especially their knowledge of the 
infant-school system, induced the Missionaries to hope that 
the government would allow them to remain—but they were 
mistaken; several inquiries were made as to what they 
were able to teach, beyond what was taught by the 
Missionaries already in the country, and, among other 
inquiries, it was asked if they were artists, and could paint 
portraits, and teach the art of painting. When it was 
ascertained they could not teach any of the arts, or intro¬ 
duce any new manufactures, but, as the natives expressed 
it, only teach reading and writing, they evinced no desire for 
their continuance. On the 8th of June, the day after the public 
examination of the schools, a message was brought to the 
Missionaries, in the name of the queen, to the effect that, 
as the year which Mr. and Mrs. Atkinson had been allowed 
to remain in the country had nearly expired, they were to 
prepare for their return, and to take their departure in five 
days. The Missionaries earnestly solicited permission for 
them to remain, but without any effect; a slight extension 
of the period of leaving the capital was all they could 
obtain; and, on the 6th of July, being compelled to depart 
from a country in which they were earnestly desirous of 
labouring for the good of the people, they left Tananarivo, 
proceeded to Mauritius, and sailing thence reached the 
Cape of Good Hope, where they resumed that work which 
they are still honoured to continue. The Missionaries were 
greatly distressed at their departure, especially as they 
