874 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
upright in his hand. Degradation to a lower office or rank 
is also a frequent punishment. 
Some years ago an officer, who was high in authority 
amongst the Malagasy, lost public favour, and became so 
much disliked by his fellow-officers and others, that he was 
justly apprehensive of a violent death at their hands. 
Under these fears, he applied to a diviner to know by what 
means he should die. The diviner told him he was doomed 
to a bloody death, upon which the officer inquired whether 
there was anything that would avert this doom. The 
diviner still persisted in the same prediction, but advised 
him to perform the following rite:—To mount upon the 
back of a bullock, and carry upon his head a small vessel 
full of blood; while thus mounted, to spill the blood upon 
the bullock’s head, and then to send it away into the 
wilderness, or a distant and uninhabited place, whence 
it might never return. The officer faithfully performed 
the rite, but in a short time was put to death in his own 
house by order of the queen, while his enemies usurped 
his place. 
Amongst the milder punishments may be enumerated 
flogging, more or less severely; putting in chains, of two 
descriptions—long ones, reaching from the neck to the 
ankles; and short ones, placed on the hands and feet 
only. Criminals in chains are compelled to hard labour, 
many of them being employed in the repair of the public 
roads; and they may frequently be seen assisting themselves 
in carrying the chain affixed to their bodies with one hand, 
while with the other they hold a block of stone which is 
borne upon their heads. 
Death was formerly inflicted for almost every offence. 
But the late Mr. Hastie humanely suggested other punish¬ 
ments instead of death. His recommendation has had the 
