THE CORONATION OF RANAVALONA III. 249 
grief. In one corner of the large room where they were 
all seated was a small state bedstead with scarlet hang¬ 
ings, and richly ornamented with gold. Of course the 
mourners were to weep as if the deceased Queen were 
really lying in state, but it was known that the corpse 
was in another building. Round the bedstead were 
about a dozen women with fans of scarlet and gold, in 
appearance very much like small ornamental fire-screens, 
and with these they kept up a constant fanning. There 
was a constant coming and going all the time, as the 
women took turns in the weeping, and relieved one 
another. They look upon this merely as fanompoana, 
compulsory Government service, and their grief was not 
so violent as to prevent them stopping to have a good 
stare at the English ladies who went to see the ceremony. 
“ One palace in the courtyard, called Be-sakana, an 
old and sacred building, was draped with scarlet cloth, 
and the palisades round the palace-yard and some of 
the buildings were covered with white calico. The 
soldiers on guard were allowed to keep their hats on, 
and had white bands on as a sign of mourning. All 
other people were prohibited from wearing hats, and 
also shoes. The use of music, singing, looking-glasses, 
bedsteads, and articles of luxury generally, was also 
forbidden. 
“ After a week we went again to the palace, and saw 
the tomb, which’ was then nearly finished. It is a 
raised mound faced with granite, and having on the top 
a small timber house, surrounded by a verandah, with a 
curved zinc-covered roof, very pretty and somewhat 
Eastern in style. It is painted red, with gilding here 
and there, the roof being coloured white. We went up 
and saw the internal arrangements, as far as they were 
