THE CORONATION OF RANAVALONA III. 247 
blockading their chief ports, rendered expedition 
necessary as well as expedient, and the period of 
mourning for the death of Eanavalona II. was in 
consequence very much shortened. At the death 
of Queen Rasoherina in 1868, however, the old 
customs prevailed; and as that was probably the 
last occasion of their observance, it will be inte¬ 
resting to notice briefly some of the details of the 
funeral ceremonies which at one time accom¬ 
panied the interment of royalty amongst the 
Hovas. An eye-witness of the remarkable scene, 
who with his brother has for many years resided 
at the capital, and has been of great service to 
the native Government, says :— 
“ The late Queen died on Wednesday night, the 1st of 
April 1868, and from that time until the following 
Tuesday week the excitement was very great. It was 
announced to the people the following morning that 
Rasoherina had niamboho (‘retired,’ or turned her back), 
and that her cousin Ramoma had succeded, under the 
title of Ranavalona II. The capital was crowded with 
people from the country, both men and women—-the 
men having to work in the preparation of a new tomb 
immediately north of the first Radama’s, in the royal 
courtyard, and the women having to sit in crowds in 
the chief apartment of the great palace, Manjaka Mia- 
dana, to mourn day and night. 
“On Friday morning the people presented a very 
strange spectacle. They looked as if they had been 
suddenly transformed into Hindoos. Tt is customary 
