264 
MADAGASCAR. 
her seat, the foreign residents were invited to the 
stage, seats being given them almost close to her 
Majesty, amid all the great officers of state, ladies of 
the court, princes and princesses. It was a striking 
scene, and one ever to be remembered. As soon as 
silence was restored, a grand salute was given to her 
majesty; the cannon fired, the trumpets sounded, and 
half a million people gave their peculiar shout in 
saluting their sovereign, the whole producing a scene 
to be gazed on with wonder, but hardly to be described. 
It is much to the credit of the Government that every 
precaution was taken for cases of sudden indisposition 
amongst the people. A tent was set apart for such 
cases ; medical students with remedial applications 
were distributed through the crowd, their presence 
being known by a white flag. 
“ After this, the Queen arose and addressed her people 
in a remarkably clear and sweet voice. She said briefly, 
that she had succeeded to the throne with all its duties, 
which she engaged to fulfil. The people, on their part, 
were to fulfil theirs. She had received the whole island, 
not part of it. Its boundary was the ocean on all sides ; 
not a bit of this would she give to any one—no, not the 
breadth of a hair; and woman though she was, she would 
be like a man in the defence of her kingdom. Then, 
turning to the people, and striking the ground with her 
golden rod of state, said —‘ Is this not so, oh my 
people ? ’ Then came a mighty answer as if of one 
voice from all these people—‘ Izay ! 5 it is so ! ’) And 
then followed a scene baffling all description — the 
shouts of the people, the clashing of spears and shields, 
the firing of cannon in various places among the crowd, 
whilst precisely at the same moment several vivid 
