decided to limit our punishment to perpetual banishment from her territories.

"M. Lambert, M. Marius, and two other Europeans who lived at M. Laborde's, and myself, were accordingly to depart from the city within an hour. M. Laborde might remain twenty-four hours longer; and, in consideration of his former services, he was to be allowed to take away all his property that was not fixed, with the exception of his slaves. These, with his houses, estates, &c., were to revert to the Queen, by whose bounty they had been bestowed on him. With regard to his son, inasmuch as the youth was a native by the mother's side, and might be supposed, on account of his tender years, to have taken no part in the conspiracy, it should be optional with him either to remain in the island, or to quit it with us.

"The Queen would allow us and M. Laborde also as many bearers as we required to carry us and our property, and, as a measure of precaution, she would cause us to be escorted by a company of soldiers, consisting of fifty privates, twenty officers, and a commandant. M. Laborde would have a similar escort, and was commanded always to keep at least one day's journey in our rear.

Thus ended M. Lambert's scheme for revolutionising Madagascar and establishing a French Protectorate in the island. On this occasion Prince Rakoto's life was spared, in consequence of the in

* Ida Pfeiffer's "Last Travels," p. 313-316.

tense love of his mother, the Queen; but the eyes of the native chiefs were now opened to the extraordinary influence which M. Lambert had obtained over the Prince, and they saw with anxiety for the future how entirely the heir to the throne was under the influence of a foreigner, whose declared object was to bring their beloved country under a foreign yoke. Although the Prince, shielded by his mother, had escaped the resentment of the Hova chiefs, they nursed their wrongs, and, as events will show at the proper time, meted out to him the due reward of his treason to the Malagasy people. The morning after the dénouement of the conspiracy at Antananarivo, M. Lambert and his companions were hurried away from the capital, but not to reach the coast so early as they anticipated. The ordinary journey from the capital to Tamatavé is about eight days; but by the Queen's commands the conspirators were detained in the most unhealthy portions of the route, in swamps, jungles, and morasses, so that the malignant fever of the country might destroy them; and after numerous delays in the malaria districts, they were at last permitted to reach Tamatavé, fifty-three days after leaving Antananarivo. Wasted by disease and want, mere shadows of their former selves, they at last embarked, on the 16th September, on board the brig Castro, Captain Schneider, bound for Mauritius. A warning to Europeans that if the cautious policy of the Malagasy Government forbids the shedding of

the white man's blood, yet that there are other means of putting an end to foreign interference in the Government of the island. Madame Ida Pfeiffer never recovered the effects of the Madagascar fever. She indeed reached Europe, but it was only to arrive in her native country to die. From this time the Government of the Queen narrowly watched the movements of all strangers in Madagascar. The persecution of the Christians under such circumstances could not but be lasting, although they were greatly modified by the unceasing vigilance of their constant friend, Prince Rakoto.

Ranavolona, the Queen of Madagascar, was of advanced age, and her reign had extended to thirty-three years. But the day of her death drew near. For several weeks during the summer her strength rapidly failed, and at last, on the 23rd of August, 1861, the persecutor of Madagascar ceased to exist.

170

CHAPTER XI.

Precautions for the Safety of the Crown Prince-Accession of Prince Rakotond and Imprisonment of Rambosalama-Joy of the Christians-Embassies from England and France-Coronation of the King and Queen-Treaties of Commerce and Friendship-Radama II. abandons himself to Drunkenness and Debauchery-Machinations of the Idol Party and proposed Massacre of the Christians-Revolution of 1863Death of the King-Accession of Queen Rabodo and Constitution of May 12th, 1863.

ABOUT a month previous to the death of RanavolonaManjaka, Radama Rakotond, her son, and the supposed posthumous child of her late husband Radama I., began to adopt stringent measures for the protection of himself and his friends from the machinations of his rival and the idol party. Nominated by the Queen as her successor in the Government, he was opposed by his cousin, Rambosalama, the son of the Queen's sister, and also his own brotherin-law, who, previous to the birth of Radama, had been adopted by the then childless Ranavolona.

It was confidently reported and commonly believed that Rambosalama had hired assassins to remove his only obstacle in the path to power, and that more than once these wretched men had confessed to Radama their meditated crime. Be this

as it may, it is certain that the Prince and his friends knew the purpose and probably the plots of his rivals. Among those upon whom Radama placed his chief reliance was Prince Roharo, the commander of the forces, but who, it will be remembered, had failed in opening the gates of the palace to the Prince when he was engaged in the Lambert plot.* The second officer in command was also one of the Prince's warm supporters.

Aware of his cousin's proceedings, Rambosalama at this time showed signs of great distrust. He seldom left his house, and never entered the palace without being armed and accompanied by armed followers. On the Commander-in-Chief being apprised of this circumstance, he immediately issued an order that no armed person should enter the royal residence; the Crown Prince and himself being among the first who submitted to the search. Another precaution employed was to conceal the orders and the "parole" which gained access through the guards of the palace. This knowledge was purposely withheld from Rainijoary and other influential nobles, who, abandoning the hope of seeing Rambosalama on the throne and the idol party triumphant, deemed it prudent to make terms with the Prince, and promised to submit to Radama Rakotond as the Queen's successor.

At length the 23rd of August, 1861, dawned upon the city of Antananarivo; Madagascar and its *See Chapter X., p. 156.