OUTLINE GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY. 333 
me that some of the richest and most touching 
sentences in the language have been uttered by 
his Excellency in the public kahdrys of the nation 
at Imahamasina. I shall never forget the im¬ 
pression he made when he delivered his famous 
harangue to the army on the occasion of a reform 
in the military arrangements of the country in 
1877. We were looking down upon Imaha¬ 
masina from the terrace of one of the villas above 
the plain when he rode upon the parade-ground, 
splendidly dressed, and mounted upon a perfect 
Arab mare, which he rode with masterly grace 
and dignity. He commenced his speech to the 
soldiers, with whom he is extremely popular, 
upon horseback, and continued to ride up and 
down the ranks as he spoke. He then dis¬ 
mounted, and continued his address, now and 
then appealing to the assembled thousands to 
assent to what he had been saying. This the 
soldiers did with an Izay !—“ That is it! ”■—which 
fairly thundered up to us from Imahamasina. 
At one particular point of his speech he suddenly 
drew his sword, and waving the gleaming blade 
over his head, he turned to the balcony of the 
royal residence, upon which the Queen was seated, 
and bowing profoundly, offered her the devotion 
and allegiance of her loyal troops. Then, turning 
again to the assembled regiments, he proceeded 
with his oration, which lasted over three hours, 
