254 
MADAGASCAR. 
pointed out by a leper, but it was not until after a few 
days that their main body was discovered, strongly 
posted in a thick wood. 
“ ‘ Whose are you ? ’ said the Sakalava scouts. 
“ * We belong to Ranavalomanjaka. Whose are you ? ’ 
was the reply. 
“ c Oh, we belong to Benao, son of Banavalomanjaka, 
and are her subjects/ said they. 
“ ‘ Then/ rejoined the Hovas, ‘ come and submit your¬ 
selves to her authority, for she and the prime minister 
have sent us to say that if you do this no harm shall 
come to you,—none of you shal] be killed, none of you 
shall lose your wives, your children, or your property, 
although you may have been fighting for the French.’ 
“ On hearing this the Sakalavas asked them to wait 
there for the answer from their chief. They did so, but 
made preparations for the attack. An unsatisfactory 
letter came down the same evening, and on the morn 
the rebels tried to put them off with excuses whilst they 
secured advantageous positions for the coming fight. 
On seeing this, the Hovas raised the standard and began 
the advance. The conflict lasted for about three hours, 
when the Sakalavas beat a retreat. They made their 
last stand in a very difficult pass, which might have 
been held for days by a few brave and skilful troops. 
But the Hova spearmen ‘ rushed ’ the position, and then 
it was bad luck to the hindmost. The Sakalavas left 
sixty-eight dead on the field, besides many wounded; 
whilst their opponents report a loss of three killed and 
nineteen wounded. The defeated troops were pursued 
as far as Amorontsangana. The usual burnings and 
plunderings followed the battle, the dreadful details of 
which may be left to the imagination. 
