252 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
On the following day, the 12th, the ceremonies were re¬ 
newed. The Missionaries and foreigners were admitted to 
the palace-yard, to unite with the natives in paying their last 
tribute of respect to the memory of the deceased; and they 
joined the bearers in conveying the body to the tomb. The 
ground was covered with blue cloth for about two hundred 
feet of the distance; and the whole passage on each side 
was lined with soldiers under arms. Seventy-two of the 
finest bulls belonging to the late monarch were killed at 
the time, and the corpse was carried over them as already 
described. The singing females, prostrate on the ground, 
occupied almost every foot of the side of the passage along 
which the body was borne, nor would they move, though 
nearly trampled to death by the bearers and attendants. 
The yard in which Trano-vola stands was thronged with 
mourners, excepting a square in the centre, which was kept 
by the military. Within this square a magnificent cata¬ 
falque had been prepared, surrounded by a balustrade 
covered with white cloth, and with pillars at each corner 
covered with scarlet cloth and gold embroidery. To the 
pillars were attached purple cords, on which were sus¬ 
pended the lamps and lustres used by Radama. The plat¬ 
form supporting the body was splendidly hung with rich 
scarlet cloth and gold and silver lace; the whole presenting 
a gorgeous and imposing spectacle. 
The members of the royal family placed themselves 
within the balustrade; and a large number of females 
dressed in white, wearing long black sashes, and having 
fans in their hands, surrounded the canopy. 
A large silver cotfin was prepared by the native silver¬ 
smiths, in the manufacture of which about fourteen thousand 
dollars were expended. It was about eight feet in length, four 
and a half in width, and the same in height. The dollars had 
