142 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
army approaches the capital, or the province of Ankova, 
many of the relatives of the soldiers hasten to meet them, 
travelling sometimes ten or twenty miles. When they meet 
the cordial salutation and affectionate embrace, the rubbing 
of the feet of the returning soldier presents a most delight¬ 
ful scene; but in contrast with this may be seen the 
agonizing grief of those who now learn that a son, a bro¬ 
ther, a husband, or a friend, will return no more; they 
dishevel their hair, and give utterance to their distress in 
loud and mournful lamentations; but this excites no atten¬ 
tion, and calls forth no kindly sympathy, from those around 
them who are placed in happier circumstances. 
Duplicity has been represented as the most conspicuous 
trait in the moral character of some of the races. It is 
remarkable that there are in the native language more 
words to express the various modes of deceiving, than any 
other vice. The natives will invent the most specious 
pretences, and assume the most plausible air, to impose on 
the credulity of others, and ingratiate themselves into favour, 
while their real design is hid for weeks and months in their 
own bosoms. If they wish to make a request, they will 
preface it by so complimentary a speech, and so many 
thanks and blessings for a kindness yet to be done, and by 
such servile flattery for a virtue to be illustrated in the 
forthcoming gift, that one might imagine the whole nation 
a tribe of sycophants, or minions of a court. It is said to 
be often impossible to understand their object for an hour 
or more, as they will talk on the most apparently dissimilar 
subjects, but with a visible restlessness, until, after all the 
windings of plausibility are travelled through, they hit, as 
if by accident, on the point designed from the beginning. 
It is remarkable, that this characteristic equally distin¬ 
guishes all public proceedings. Every petition to the 
