A few of the actions of this man will sufficiently prove the nobility of his mind.
It frequently happens that the queen orders hundreds of her subjects to perform the heaviest labor for months together for some favored personage—such work, for instance, as hewing timber for building, and then dragging it thirty miles along the road; hewing stone, and kindred occupations; for all which the poor people get not the slightest reward of any kind. When the prince hears of a case of this kind, he manages to pass by the neighborhood where the people are at work, meets them as if by chance, and asks for whom they are laboring thus. On receiving their reply, he farther inquires if they are properly fed, for wages are of course out of the question. Then it generally turns out that they not only have no food provided for them, but frequently have consumed all the provisions they have brought with them, and are trying to satisfy their hunger with herbs and roots. The prince then has one or two oxen killed, according to the number of the laborers, and this meat, with a good supply of rice, is by his command distributed among them. If the owner should come forward in surprise at this order, and attempt to remonstrate, the prince sends him away with this assurance: “Whoever works for you has a just claim to be supported by you; and if you will not make the arrangement yourself, your steward must.”
A few years ago, a ship was wrecked on the coast of Madagascar, and the majority of the crew perished. Five sailors who had escaped from the wreck were sent, according to the usual custom, to the capital, to be sold there as slaves. The prince met them during an excursion he was making, about a day’s journey from Tananariva, and noticing that one of the sailors had no shoes, and was limping painfully after the rest, he drew off his own and gave them to him. He also took care that the poor men were well fed. Mr. Laborde bought these five sailors, clothed them, gave them money and letters of recommendation, and helped them to get back to their own country. The prince is seldom in a position to carry out his benevolent designs, for he has no money, or, at any rate, very little; his whole wealth consisting in slaves, rice-fields, and oxen given to him by his mother.
Another time the prince saw a European being led as a prisoner to the capital by several natives. The poor wretch was being urged on like a brute beast by his guards with blows and pushes; he was so exhausted and weak from the long journey and the bad roads that he could drag himself no farther. The prince reproved the guards for their cruelty, himself alighted from his tacon, or sedan-chair, and told the captive to take his place.
The prince, moreover, found an opportunity of showing his generosity toward one of our bearers. True to the habits of his country, this poor wretch had stolen an ox in the vicinity of the capital, driven it to one of the markets, and tried to dispose of it; but he was caught in the fact, and brought to the capital. In cases of this kind, justice in Madagascar is very quick in taking its course; on the same day sentence of death was passed upon him, and toward evening he was to be executed in the manner of the country, with the lance or gagaya. Mr. Laborde heard of this, and sent in all directions in search of the prince to obtain his mediation. Luckily, the prince was found in time, scarcely half an hour before the execution was to have taken place. He proceeded at once to the prison, opened the door for the captive, and recommended him to flee to his own home as fast as he could.
Many similar traits were told me of the prince, and seldom, it is said, do many days elapse without his saving lives or performing some generous action. He often gives away his last dollar, distributes all his stores of rice and other provisions, and is doubly glad when he can help some unfortunate being without letting the recipient of his bounty know who is his benefactor.
The following words, which I heard from his own mouth, speak more eloquently than my weak pen could do the praises of this really noble man. He declared it to be a matter of indifference to him whether the French or the English, or any other nation, took possession of the island, if only the people were properly governed. For himself, he wished neither for the throne nor for the regal title, and would at any time be ready to give a written abdication of his claims, and retire and live as a private man, if he could by such a course insure the prosperity of the people.
I must confess that this declaration moved me deeply, and inspired me with a high respect for this prince—such respect as I feel for very few human beings. To my mind, a man of such sentiments is greater than the most prominent among the ambitious and egotistical monarchs of Europe.
May 31. This morning the queen sent one of the grandees of the empire to inquire after our health, and to invite us to take the sambas-sambas next day in the house of the Lady Rasoaray.
On this occasion she sent Mr. Lambert a present as a mark of her favor. The gift consisted of a magnificent fatted ox, of proportions I had rarely seen equaled even in Europe, besides some very fine poultry and a basket of eggs. The presents of the queen never consist of any other articles, and are generally confined to poultry and eggs; oxen are only added when she wishes to confer on the recipient a mark of peculiar distinction.