Introduction at Court.--The Monosina.--The Royal Palace.--The Hovas.--Scenes of Horror under the Queen’s Rule.--Executions.--The Tanguin.--Persecution of the Christians.--One of the Queen’s Journeys.--Her Hatred of Europeans.--Bull-fights.--Taurine Mausoleum.
Our introduction at court took place on the 2d of June.
Toward four o’clock in the afternoon our bearers carried us to the palace. Over the door is fixed a great gilt eagle with extended wings. According to the rule laid down here by etiquette, we stepped over the threshold first with the right foot, and observed the same ceremony on coming to a second gate leading to a great court-yard in front of the palace. Here we saw the queen sitting on a balcony on the first story, and were directed to stand in a row in the court-yard opposite to her. Under the balcony stood some soldiers, who went through sundry evolutions, concluding with a very comic point of drill, which consisted in suddenly poking up the right foot as if it had been stung by a tarantula.
The queen was wrapped, according to the custom of the country, in a wide silk simbu, and wore on her head a big golden crown. Though she sat in the shade, a very large umbrella of crimson silk was held up over her head; this being, it appears, a point of regal state.
The queen is of rather dark complexion, strong and sturdily built, and, though already seventy-five years of age, she is, to the misfortune of her poor country, still hale and of active mind. At one time she is said to have been a great drunkard, but she has given up that fatal propensity some years ago.
To the right of the queen stood her son, Prince Rakoto, and on the left her adopted son, Prince Ramboasalama; behind her sat and stood sundry nephews and nieces, and other relatives, male and female, and several grandees of the empire.
The minister who had conducted us to the palace made a short speech to the queen, after which we had to bow three times, and to repeat the words “Esaratsara tombokoe,” equivalent to “We salute you cordially;” to which she replied, “Esaratsara,” which means “Well--good!” Then we turned to the left to salute the tomb of King Radama, lying a few paces on one side, with three similar bows, whereupon we returned to our former place in front of the balcony and made three more. Mr. Lambert, on this occasion, held up a gold piece of fifty francs’ value, and put it in the hands of the minister who accompanied us. This gift, which every stranger has to offer when he is presented for the first time at court, is called “Monosina.” It is not necessary that it should consist of a fifty-franc piece; the queen contents herself with a Spanish dollar or a five-franc piece. Mr. Lambert had, however, already given fifty francs on the occasion of the “sambas-sambas.”