300 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
Within the southern division, the three principal build¬ 
ings are, Besakana, Mahitsy, and Masoandro. The first 
is considered the most important in all civil affairs, being 
regarded as the throne of the kingdom; and the second, 
the most sacred in all religious affairs. In Besakana, 
“ great width,” the new sovereign is placed, and installed; 
there he bathes at the great annual festival of the Fan- 
droana, and pronounces benedictions on the people; and 
there also the deceased sovereign is laid in state, previous 
to interment. 
In the house called Mahitsy, (that is, straight , and in a 
moral sense, just,) is kept the idol Manjakatsiroa. Here 
the sikidy, or divination, is worked for the sovereign, 
on all affairs of public importance. It is here also, the 
sacrifice of a cock is made at the commencement of the 
Fandroana, which the sovereign attends, and after which 
he proceeds to bathe in Besakana. 
Masoandro, (i.e. the sun,) is the house in which the 
newly constituted sovereign is placed immediately on acced¬ 
ing to the throne. Here Radama was placed by order 
of his father, to be guarded by the Tsiarondahy, the king’s 
body-guard, on the evening he perceived his death to 
be near; and here also, Ranavalona, the successor of 
Radama, was placed, on becoming the sovereign of the 
empire. 
Within this Anaty Rova are two or three other buildings, 
erected in the European style: one, called Marlvo-lanitra, 
occupied occasionally by the sovereign; another, a small 
and neat residence, intended by Radama for his daughter 
Raketaka; another used by the royal band of musicians, 
and the house built by order of Radama, under his own 
direction, for Mr. Jones the missionary, on his first arrival 
at the capital, and subsequently appropriated to Rasalimo, 
