348 
its very first principle being contrary to the high and 
reverential ideas they entertain of the Divine Being:—we 
refer to the familiar conversations which it is pretended 
Mahomet held with God, and upon which the whole impos¬ 
ture is founded; but such is the awe of the Madegasses 
towards that Being, that they believe him too great to hold 
converse with the greatest of earthly monarchs.* 
Independent of this, they felt no great attachment to 
their own simple ritual. The absurdities of the Ombiasses, 
the only persons who bore a sacred character amongst 
them, were believed only by the lower classes of the people. 
The chiefs, it is true, consulted them; but it was rather 
with the view of keeping the people in subjection, than 
from a conviction of their supernatural powers. Nor are 
the Olis, or Teraphim, more generally regarded, or be¬ 
lieved to possess any extraordinary powers. This is as¬ 
serted by Flacourt, Drury, and several later writers. The 
first, speaking on this subject, says, “ the most super¬ 
stitious in this respect were Dian Machicore, Dian Isissei, 
and some other Rhoandrians, some Lohavohits and slaves. 
All do not entertain such a belief—the generality of them 
despise it, and give it no credit whatever” f 
Nor was it the least important circumstance, that the 
utmost liberty of conscience was enjoyed there by every 
one, which did not result so much from an indifference to 
religion, as to an absence of the spirit of intolerance. On 
the contrary, they were at all times ready to hear what 
every stranger had to say on this subject, and weighed 
* Drury, p. 460. 
t Flacourt, p. 182 ; Drury, p. 177. The latter honest but ignorant writer, 
gives a ludicrous account of his attempt to instruct his master in the Scripture 
History of the Creation; but being a very moderate theologian, he got well 
Jaughed at for his pains. He was heard with great patience and attention, till 
he roundly asserted that all men have a rib more on one side than on the other! 
This produced an investigation, wltich turning out of course to his disadvantage, 
his whole account was treated with ridicule. 
