370 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
the oath, were instantly seized, and carried off to be 
put to death, and the first who opposed her was cut to 
pieces on the spot; while of those who recognised her, 
each drank of the water mixed with some earth, taken 
from the tomb of the father of Radama. This was pre¬ 
pared in a large canoe to the west of the court-yard. 
None but the heads of districts were sworn by the 
spearing of the calf; but the drinking of the muddy water 
was considered sufficient for the common people. 
There is no written code of laws in Madagascar; and 
such a code would be of comparatively little use, since not 
a single judge can either read or write.* Great regard, 
however, is paid to traditions, customs, and opinions, 
from which few are willing to deviate without at least the 
appearance of strong reason. 
When events arise requiring the formation of a new 
law, or the revival of an old one which has become obso¬ 
lete, the sovereign announces his intention to the judges 
and officers, and they convey the intelligence to the people 
generally at the public markets. Radama occasionally 
adopted the mode of affixing to the outer gate of his palace 
a written notification of a new law. 
Capital crimes in Madagascar are murder, high treason, 
sorcery, arson, sacrilege, (robbing tombs,) manufacturing 
base coin, or acting deceitfully in the king’s name, selling- 
slaves out of the island, and stealing money from the per¬ 
son. To these may be added the two military offences, 
desertion of a military post, and retreating in battle after 
having commenced the attack. 
* In 1S32, a native, called Ramaka, who was converted to Christianity 
and baptized, became a judge, by the order of succession, to his father. He 
had been a teacher in the Mission schools, and was qualified to take notes 
of the evidence in writing. He died about two years afterwards. 
