530 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR.’ 
fulness unto the Lord, in the growth and fruitfulness of that 
which he and his fellow-labourers had planted and watered 
in happier times. The native Christians, though perse¬ 
cuted and afflicted, rejoiced in their portion, and found their 
afflictions productive of the peaceable fruits of righteous¬ 
ness. They had been less frequently annoyed by the 
government since the departure of the Missionaries, and 
were induced to suppose that, if their rulers were not 
more favourably disposed towards them, they were less 
inclined to severity in punishing their quiet and unobtru¬ 
sive observance of their religious duties, as they presumed 
they must be acquainted with their adherence to the Chris¬ 
tian faith. In this they soon found, by events of the most 
mournful and sanguinary character, that they were mis¬ 
taken. 
It appears that the movements of the Christians had 
been watched, though no infringement of the antichristian 
edict of the queen was discovered till the last Sabbath in 
July, or the first Sabbath in August, 1837. On this occasion, 
a number of Christians having assembled, for reading the 
Scriptures, singing and prayer, on a mountain a short distance 
from the capital, were discovered, and reported to the queen, 
the premises of the suspected parties were searched, for the 
purpose of finding ground for accusation against them, and a 
box of books, viz. copies of the Scriptures and other Christian 
publications, that had been given by the Missionaries, being 
found buried near the house of that eminent Christian 
woman, Rafaravavy, who had been previously accused of 
reading the Bible, she was apprehended and imprisoned; her 
house, her entire property, was given up to plunder, her person 
secured, and her hands and feet loaded with heavy iron rings. 
She was menaced in vain during a period of from eight to 
ten days, to induce her to impeach her companions. She 
