232 
Having finished this discourse, he put the assagaye 
into the hands of the count, and prostrated himself 
before him. All the chiefs, followed his example, 
and afterwards the whole multitude, so that the new 
ampansacabe saw, with perfect astonishment, fifty 
thousand people prostrated before him. Raffangour 
then dictated to him the following answer:— 
“ Long live the blood of Ramini—long live the 
Madagascar nation—long live the Rhoandrians, 
Anacandrians, Ontzatsi, Voadziri, Lohavohitz, Ont- 
zoa, Philoubei, Ondeves, Ombiasses, and Ampouria— 
long live the blood of our fathers—and may the 
God who created the heavens and the earth, long 
preserve us all!”—The people, who were still pros¬ 
trate, gave a shout as each class was named, and at 
the last arose. The several classes then separated 
from each other, and, forming a circle, stood apart, 
when the count was led first to the Rhoandrians, near 
whom there stood an ox, whose throat he cut, at the 
same time pronouncing the oath of sacrifice; and 
every Rhoandrian took a small portion of the blood, 
which he swallowed, repeating, with a loud voice, 
imprecations against himself and his children, in 
case he or they should break the oath. He was 
then conducted to the circle of Anacandrians, where 
he killed two oxen, the same oath being repeated, 
and the same imprecations pronounced. In this 
manner he passed through each of the several 
classes of the people, killing three oxen for the 
Voadziri, four for the Lohavohitz, six for the On- 
