380 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
and judges to enjoy a share of it. Much, however, de¬ 
pends upon the royal will with regard to the confiscation 
or division of property, the king being able to alter, in¬ 
crease, or mitigate the sentence according to his pleasure. 
It can scarcely be said that any general laws exist; each 
chief province, or even smaller locality, has its own usages 
in regard to what are considered crimes, and the nature 
of the punishments to be inflicted. In awarding fines or 
punishments, there is generally an endeavour to maintain, 
at least, the appearance of justice or equity. The laws 
and regulations established by Radama or his successor, 
are not supreme in all the provinces, in many of which 
the ancient usages relating to their internal government 
remain in force; though the object of the government of 
the Hovas is evidently to assimilate the laws of the whole 
island, that all may be governed by one code. 
A singular custom prevails, in which, when an offence 
has been committed and prosecution commenced, the 
latter is stayed by a promise from the offending party 
that he will not prosecute under similar circumstances, 
should the prosecutor commit the same offence against 
him. 
On the final adjudication of a cause, a piece of money 
is paid to the sovereign and to the judges, as a token of 
acquiescence in the decision. 
As the country is divided into provinces, districts, &c., 
there is, belonging to each, a principal town or village, in 
which stands a government-house, called Lapa, and opposite 
to this house is a sacred stone, by the side of which sacrifices 
are offered. In each of these towns or villages are ap¬ 
pointed ten farantsa, or magistrates, whose office is to 
govern the district, arrest transgressors, execute the king’s 
orders, take care that the tenth of the produce is gathered 
