348 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
Most of the judges possess a menakely (feudal estate) in 
different parts of Ankova; and the people living on such 
estates, though free, are not only obliged to work for their 
feudal lord, but are dependent upon him for his decision 
as a judge in ail cases of dispute between them and their 
neighbours. 
The officers immediately under the judges are the 
Farantsa, who may be regarded as the civil police of the 
country. Their duty is to take charge of the money due 
to the sovereign from fines, taxes, and confiscations; to 
receive the rice and other productions falling to the sove¬ 
reign from the land; and, in fact, to undertake the custody 
of whatever contributions the law requires for the govern¬ 
ment. 
Another class of civil officers consists of the Vadintany. 
These are employed as the king’s couriers. They carry 
the messages from the government to the head-men of 
villages, on all public business, and constitute a sort of 
general watch, as constables of the peace throughout the 
country. 
These messengers, immediately on hearing the proclama¬ 
tion from the king’s ministers and judges, hasten with the 
royal mandate to their respective districts, in each of which 
a large market is held weekly, one every day of the week 
in rotation. Where the markets are held, there is usually 
a mound, on the top of which the Vadintany stands, and 
fires a gun as a signal for the people to listen to the pro¬ 
clamation of the king. Should there be no market held 
on the day when these orders are to be made public, the 
Vadintany delivers his message to the heads of the district, 
whose duty it then is to make it known to the people. 
The proclamations sometimes relate to the prohibition of 
certain articles, such as intoxicating liquors, tobacco, pigs, 
