passed on to their rest with God, was their being placed where they could see the fall of their brethren, and then being asked whether they would not recant. All such attempts to move them proved ineffectual. They seemed so filled with the love of their Saviour, and with joyful hope of heaven, that they utterly despised all offers of life on such conditions. One very striking instance I heard of from an old officer of the palace, as well as from our companions on that day. A young woman, who was very beautiful and accomplished, and who was very much liked by the Queen, was placed where she could see her companions fall, and was asked, at the instance of the Queen-who wished to save her, but could not exempt her from the common sentence against the Christians-whether she would not worship the gods and save her life. She refused, manifesting so much determination to go with her brethren and sisters to heaven, that the officer standing by struck her on the head, and said, 'You are a fool! You are mad!' And they sent to the Queen and told her that she had lost her reason, and should be sent to some place of safe keeping. She was sent away, strongly guarded, into the country, some thirty miles, and afterwards was married to a Christian man, and died only two years ago, leaving two or three children behind her.*

Scene upon scene of horrid heathen persecution on the one hand, and of calm, patient, self-denying,

* For a full account of these persecutions, see "Madagascar: its Mission and its Martyrs." London, 1863.

Christian fortitude on the other-faithful even unto death-might be presented to the reader, but our space will not permit of it. Suffice it to say that

"Thirty-seven preachers, with their wives and families, were consigned to a life of slavery. More than a hundred were flogged with the whip, and sentenced to work in chains during their lives. Some who were made slaves might purchase back their liberty, and the liberty of their wives and children, if money enough could be found, but the slavery of others was irredeemable. Many were heavily fined, and those who had been among the great and noble of the land were stripped of their honours and titles, and not only reduced in rank, but forced to the hardest and meanest labour. Altogether, in the early spring of 1849-that fearful year which the Christians truly called the year of the great persecution'-1,903, according to the lowest estimate, but more probably upwards of 2,000, were punished, because they had either professed or favoured the religion of Jesus.” *

* "Madagascar: its Mission and its Martyrs," p. 91.

129

CHAPTER IX.

- Renewal of

Diplomatic Failures-Commerce the Peacemaker
Friendly Relations-Earnest Christians.

THE Commercial history of Madagascar since the unsuccessful attack of the English and

A.D 1853.

French on the fort at Tamatavé, in 1846, until 1853, may be considered a perfect blank, not only as concerning foreigners—if perhaps we except Americans on the West Coast-but even in respect to the natives themselves. Progress was at an entire standstill. Idol worship and superstition were covering the land as with a thick mantle of darkness, obscuring the little light which missionary efforts and commercial enterprise had let in upon the island. Diplomacy had tried every effort at conciliation, and at last the English and French Governments ceased to hold any communication with the Government of the Queen, RanavolonaManjaka.

Commerce, the daughter of necessity, cradled by want, again lifts the veil in Madagascar. What the Governments of the contending parties could not effect was amicably arranged by the peaceful merchants of both countries. At Mauritius and Réunion an effort was made by the merchants,

K

in concert with some of the more enlightened native chiefs in Madagascar, to bring about a reconciliation, and after much, but earnest, negotiation, it was arranged that the Government of the Queen was willing again to open the trade of Madagascar to all nations on the payment of an indemnity to the Queen of Madagascar by the merchants at Mauritius, for they were held as the prime movers of the attack on the fort at Tamatavé in 1846. This indemnity was fixed at 15,000 dollars.

Mr. Cameron, who formerly belonged to the English Mission at Antananarivo, was associated with Mr. Mangeot, a member of the Chamber of Commerce at Mauritius, and these gentlemen, accompanied by the treasure, sailed for Tamatavé, in the Nimble, on the 10th of October, and returned to Port Louis, Mauritius, on the 19th of November, 1853, having paid the sum required by the Queen as compensation for the injury inflicted on the country. The trade was now opened to the commerce of all nations; prices were to be fixed between buyer and seller; ten per cent. duty was to be levied on all exports and imports; and no natives of Madagascar were to be taken out of the country. The following is the letter establishing friendly relations with Europeans:

"Antananarivo, 23 Asoratany, 1854

(23 Oct., 1854).

"To Messrs. J. Cameron and A. Mangeot, and the people who sent them with this payment for

the offence committed by William Kelly, and Romain Desfosses, and their companions in three ships.

"I have to inform you that I have told our superior officers, and that our superior officers have told our Queen, respecting the 15,000 dollars proposed to be paid by you for (or on account of) the offence of Romain Desfosses, and William Kelly, and their companions in three ships, you having declared that this payment gives you no claim either on the land nor on the kingdom.

"Now, in regard to the 15,000 dollars, our superior officers have directed that the money be received, so we will receive it, and the trade will be opened.

"And thus will the trade be opened. As the custom duties do not belong to others (or to subjects), but to the Queen of Madagascar, so we will take the custom duties, both on imports and exports, as formerly-for we change not.

"And in regard to the exportation of slaves beyond the sea, Radama disliked that practice, and our Queen has made no alteration; therefore, we cannot export slaves beyond the sea.

"And this also has to be told to you. A certain European, a Frenchman, has taken possession of a place at Ibaly, as a port for ships, where he is residing, and erected a house and a magazine. Our superior officers have, therefore, sent to drive him away beyond sea. We shall not kill him, but