408 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
can cause rain in abundance when wanted, or can withhold 
it so as to ruin the crops of rice. He is also celebrated for 
his knowledge of the past and the future, and for his capa¬ 
city of discovering whatever is hidden or concealed. Should 
charms be secreted in some clandestine manner, or from 
any malignant motive be buried in the ground, with a 
view of injuring people or rendering them bewitched, he is 
able to find the mysterious spells—to point out the exact 
spot of ground where they have been concealed—and thus 
avert the intended mischief. 
Some qualities of locomotion are also attributed to 
Ramahavaly. If disposed to visit any part of the country, 
he can do it without any one conveying him thither; or, while 
being carried, he can stop of his own accord, and make his 
bearer tremble beneath him. In passing ants’ holes, it is 
said by his carriers that he has the remarkable habit of 
making a pause, quite of his own accord. 
The intelligent monarch Radama was fully convinced 
of the absurdity and falsehood of the pretensions of the 
idol-keepers: and though he was too shrewd an observer 
of human nature violently to assail the superstitious 
prejudices that existed in their favour, he often made them 
appear exceedingly ridiculous in the eyes of the people, 
whenever they attempted any of their jugglery in his pre¬ 
sence. On one occasion, the keeper of the great national 
idol suddenly rushed into the court-yard, where the king and 
many of his chiefs and officers were assembled. He carried 
a pole, with something wrapped in red velvet, the ordinary 
symbol of the idol, at the end of it. On entering the 
palace-yard, he ran about like one frantic; and on being 
asked by the king why he did so, he said that the idol 
made him act in a manner which he himself could not avoid. 
“ It is surprising,” said the king, “that the god should affect 
