386 VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. chap. xit. 
health, and on a sign from one of the attendants, the hand in 
the verandah played the Malagasy “ Grod save the Queen.” 
The dinner commenced with soup, after which an almost 
endless variety of viands were served. There must have been 
upwards of thirty different dishes handed round in succession : 
beef in every form, poultry, game, made dishes in great 
variety, with pastry, all exceedingly well cooked, especially the 
rice, and the rolls of bread. There was not much wine on the 
table, the drinking was very moderate, and there were but few 
toasts. The utmost propriety characterised the deportment 
of all present; although there were many of the younger 
members of the aristocracy at the table, the entertainment 
was more lively, and much less formal, than some at which I 
had been present in the country. After the dessert, tea was 
served in small coffee cups, perhaps instead of coffee, from the 
supposed preference of the English for tea. 
After the dinner, the chief officer rose, and delivered a 
speech expressive of the good feeling and hospitality of the 
Queen of Madagascar towards the subjects of other govern¬ 
ments, strangers from across the sea, visiting her country. 
This was said in allusion to my presence amongst them; and 
then, stating that it had been the wish of the queen and the 
Malagasy government to preserve friendship with all foreign 
nations, he asked why it was that they were so frequently 
disturbed by reports that the French were coming to take 
their country. He said that reports to that effect had been 
recently brought, and were now in circulation amongst the 
people; and then appealing to me as recently from Europe, 
he asked if I knew whether these reports were true, and if so, 
why was it that the Malagasy were to be attacked ? 
Appealed to so directly, I could not decline offering a few 
words on the subject; and after thanking the queen for the 
kind attention and hospitality I had experienced, and ob¬ 
serving that the cultiyation of peaceable and friendly feelings 
