chap. xiv. BREAKFAST WITH THE FRENCH RESIDENTS. 
383 
drinking, stating that I did not drink wine, but cordially 
joined in the sentiment of the toast. The next toast was the 
Prince. I was sitting next to him, and when all rose, he 
said, “ Drink or not, as you like.” I did not drink, but in¬ 
timated my concurrence in the toast, which he acknowledged. 
In conversation respecting the climate, our host said that the 
central provinces were remarkably healthy, and that thin ice 
was sometimes seen in the mountains. We also talked about 
France, as M. Laborde said his father lived at Pau, where I 
had passed two winters. There were many kinds of wine on 
the table, as well as abundance of viands, and plenty of healths 
were drunk, including those of Queen Victoria, the Emperor 
of the French, and the Queen of Madagascar. Towards the 
close of the breakfast, our host suggested to the Catholic 
priest to propose my health as their welcome guest; but as 
the priest did not appear to have heard him, M. Laborde 
himself proposed it, observing that I was not a stranger, but 
a friend, at the same time ordering the band to play the 
English “ Grod save the Queen ” and “ Kule Britannia.” 
Water-cresses, salad, fresh butter, preserves, &c., were served, 
followed by dessert, and what the French never fail to pro¬ 
vide, in every part of the world, a cup of good coffee. 
Our conversation was chiefly about the politics of Europe 
and the late war, and the prince was unusually animated. 
Between one and two we took leave of our host and his 
friends, who expressed their hope of our meeting again soon. 
I walked home. The prince sent away his palanquin, took 
my arm, and accompanied me to my residence. Here he dis¬ 
missed his attendants, except one of his aides-de-camp and 
an officer of the palace, who accompanied him into the house, 
where we were soon engaged in grave and earnest conversa¬ 
tion on subjects intimately connected with the prosperity of 
his country. He spoke feelingly of the difficulties which im¬ 
peded improvement amongst the Malagasy, and made many 
