374 
VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. 
criAP. xiv. 
CHAP. XIV. 
Audience of the Queen at the Palace. — Salutation to the Queen. — Allusion 
to Presentation to Queen Victoria. — Offering of the Hasina. — Declaration 
of the Friendship of the English towards the Malagasy. — The Queen’s 
Reply relative to the Constancy of the English. — Assurance of Friendship 
and Goodwill from the English Government, r—Desire of the Queen for 
Amity with all Nations. — Description of the Palace. —■ The Queen’s Ap¬ 
pearance, Dress, and Regal State. — The Members of her Court. — Satisfac¬ 
tion of the Queen with my Visit. — Breakfast with M. Laborde. — Conver¬ 
sations with the Prince. — Wealth of Malagasy Nobles. —Dinner given by 
the Queen. — Number of Dishes. — Native Plate.— Music. — Speeches after 
Dinner. — Sovereign Rights of Nations. — Visits of the Sick. — Intercourse 
with Natives who had visited Bourbon. — Photographic Difficulties. — Pre¬ 
sents for the Queen. — Portraits of the Queen and Prince Consort peculiarly 
gratifying. — Invitation to the Palace. —Music. — Sakalave Dance.— Native 
and European Dances. — Gorgeous and splendid Costume of the Court. 
Early on the morning of the 5th of September, a present of 
poultry came from the queen, and a note from a friend in the 
palace to say that the queen would see me during the day. 
I venture to insert the note conveying this intelligence as 
evidence of the absence of all circumlocution in the official 
and semi-official communications from the Malagasy seat of 
government. The note was as follows: 
“ Friday Morning. 
“My dear Friend, — I inform you as a friend that the 
queen will give you an audience to-day in the palace; con¬ 
sequently when you are ordered to come up, put on your best 
dress, &c. &c., and take a gold sovereign and a dollar. How 
are you this morning ? 
“Yours truly, 
“ E- 
