506* 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
CHAP. XVIIL 
Active labours of the Missionaries—Printing in the native language— 
The printing of the Malagasy Bible completed—Departure of Messrs. Free¬ 
man, Cameron, and Chick, with their families, from the island—Departure 
of Mr. Griffiths’ family for England—The natives who had resided with the 
Missionaries accused of disaffection to the government, death of two by the 
tangena—Rafaravavy accused to the government of possessing and reading 
the Scriptures—Departure of Messrs. Johns and Baker from Madagascar— 
Letters from the native Christians to the Missionaries—The practice of 
infanticide revived—Grievous oppression of the people by the govern¬ 
ment—Desperation of the natives—Increase of banditti and robbers— 
Unsuccessful attempts of the Hovas to subdue the natives in the neigh¬ 
bourhood of St. Augustine’s Bay— Horrible barbarities practised by the 
Hovas on the natives of the South—Unprecedent number of public 
executions—Arrival of an embassy from Madagascar in London—Their 
intercourse with the king and British government—Honourable message 
of the queen of England to the queen of Madagascar—Revolt of the 
Sakalavas under Andriansolo—Defeat of the Hovas—Visit of Mr. Johns 
to Tamatave—Spiritual prosperity of the native Christians—Persecution 
by the government—Martyrdom of Rafaravavy—Present state of the 
country. 
Deprived of every means of usefulness among the people, the 
Missionaries directed all their energies to the completion 
of the Holy Scriptures. No native was allowed to assist 
them at the press ; but they cheerfully undertook the labour 
of printing the remaining portions themselves. The Mis¬ 
sionaries having completed the revision, Mr. Baker under¬ 
took the composition; and Mr. Kitching, who, during Mr. 
Baker’s absence in England, had been engaged by the Mis¬ 
sionaries in the printing department, worked off the sheets at 
the press ; and by the strenuous efforts of the brethren, and 
