376 
HISTORY" OF MADAGASCAR. 
criminal is delivered into the hands of the populace, 
who, if he be guilty of any crime generally abhorred, is 
kicked and pelted with stones and eggs, until he can 
scarcely be said to be alive on arriving at the place of final 
execution: in these barbarities the children in Mada¬ 
gascar find great amusement and pleasure. 
A custom prevails amongst the Malagasy, that if a 
criminal can obtain sight of the sovereign, he is pardoned, 
whether before or after conviction; or if the sovereign 
should accept a hasina sent to him by the accused. Even 
criminals at work on the high road, if they can catch sight 
of the monarch as he passes by, may claim their pardon. 
Hence, by a sort of anomaly in this singular law, they are 
ordered to withdraw from the road when the sovereign is 
known to be coming by. 
Exemption from punishment was also claimed by all who 
had rendered any particular service to the sovereign or the 
state; and not by such individuals merely, but by their 
descendants, and by other branches of the family, upon the 
same plea. During the latter part of the reign of Rad am a, 
many unsuccessful endeavours were made by him to abolish 
the long-continued abuses by which the ends of justice were 
thus defeated. The following anecdote affords an example 
of the ingenuity and tact with which he effected this desir¬ 
able purpose. The favourite servant of a nobleman having 
committed a theft, engaged his master to intercede for him 
with the king, and claim the privilege of former service to 
the state. Radama remonstrated, and, while surrounded 
by his ministers, kept the nobleman in suspense so long as 
to give time for his house to be robbed by people whom 
the king had sent for that purpose; after which Radama 
desired him to go home, and consider further the peti¬ 
tion he had preferred. The chief finding his house robbed, 
