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Another privilege or prerogative was, that each 
Rhoandrian was obliged to leave him by will, a portion 
of his property, which however the successors usually 
redeemed with a slight tribute or fine. 
A third prerogative gave him a right to exact 
from each Rhoandrian, one tenth of the produce of 
his land, and a number of horned cattle and slaves, 
in proportion to the riches of his district. 
The present constitution consists of four kings as 
formerly, called, according to their respective quar¬ 
ters, kings of the North, South, East, and West; these 
kings have each of them absolute power over their 
subjects, and as it respects public matters, the Rho- 
andrians and chiefs are subject to their controul; a 
tribute is paid to them, as formerly to the Ampan- 
sacabe. They are the generalissimos in times of 
war, and all negociations and transactions of a public 
nature are under their direction. Under these four, 
each province has its prince or chief, called Dian, 
who is completely independent in his own dominions. 
He has the power of life and death over his subjects, 
though this power is not frequently exercised in a 
wanton manner. To him belong all the lands of 
the province over which he presides, and they are 
appropriated by a grant from him to the individual 
who wishes to occupy any particular spot, and who 
pays him a small fine. He has the privilege of 
nominating a governor over each village in his domi¬ 
nions, for the purpose of administering justice: these 
are called Filoubeis. The chiefs are most of them 
