It is seldom that any one gives information to the authorities of a theft. In small affairs it is not worth while, as the detection of the thief and restoration of the property scarcely ever follow; and in robberies of any magnitude, persons of high position are almost sure to be implicated, and it would be dangerous to proceed against these. That the soldiers are among the most confirmed thieves is not to be marveled at, considering their miserable position. The officer or employé certainly has only a very small salary, but, at any rate, he gets something. Besides, he is a merchant or a landed proprietor, has slaves who work for him, and even makes a profit out of the soldiers who serve under him; but the poor private generally receives nothing at all, and it is almost too much to expect that he should submit quietly to die of hunger.
On the 19th of May we at length set out on our journey to Tananariva, the capital of the island. Our party consisted of Mr. Marius, Mr. Lambert, and myself. Mr. Marius, a Frenchman by birth, had been living for twenty years in Madagascar. He accompanied Mr. Lambert on his journey from a feeling of friendship, and undertook the office of interpreter and the general direction of the journey, and his kind assistance was of the greatest value to us.
The whole previous day and half of the present one we had been fully employed wrapping up the chests and boxes containing presents for the queen and Prince Rakoto, and our own baggage, in great dry leaves, to protect them against the rain.
Mr. Lambert had bought the presents for the queen and her court with his own money, and not, as they asserted in the Mauritius, with funds from the French government. The presents consisted of full and very expensive toilets for the queen and some of the princesses, her relations, rich uniforms embroidered with gold for Prince Rakoto, and valuable art-objects of all kinds, including several musical clocks, barrel organs, and similar toys. On these presents Mr. Lambert had spent more than 200,000 francs. For the conveyance of these treasures to the capital more than four hundred persons were required, who received the same pay as the soldiers; that is to say, none at all, for service of this kind is compulsory. Along the whole route the convoy had been announced, and the poor bearers had to be at certain stations on the road at an appointed time.