When I saw this funeral conducted in such truly European style, I thought, as I had frequently done before, what a strange country this Madagascar was, and what striking contrasts were found among these people—cultivation and savagery, imitation of European manners and customs and the rudest barbarism go here hand in hand. One finds here, as in Europe, all the titles of rank and nobility, from the prince down to the lieutenant: many of the nobles often go about in European garb; many speak and write English or French, and the rich dine off plate, and possess handsome, well-furnished houses. Farther imitations of our European customs are seen in the etiquette with which the queen surrounds her own person, the ceremonious splendor she seeks to impart to her court, the solemn excursions to her pleasure palaces, the fancy balls, the great dinners, the funerals of high personages, and other occasions of the kind.
The industrial education of the people has also made great progress in certain districts; and it is easy to see that, if properly cultivated and directed, industrial arts would soon attain a higher development. Thus, as already stated, the goldsmiths and silversmiths furnish specimens that excite my unqualified admiration; the women silk-weavers make very pretty pieces from native silk; and Mr. Laborde turns out from his various factories of native workmen all kinds of weapons, even to small cannon, and powder, as well as glass, soap, wax-lights, rum, and the most delicious liqueurs.
With respect to the cultivation of the mind and heart, the inhabitants of Madagascar have not sought to imitate the Europeans. In this particular, indeed, many of the wildest tribes, who have scarcely come into communication with Europeans at all—for instance, the Dyaks of Borneo; the Afoxes, in the island of Celebes; the Anthropophagi, in the interior of Sumatra, and others—stand far above the Hovas and Malagaseys. Incredible as it may appear, the latter have no religion at all—not the slightest idea of a God, of the immortality of the soul, or even of its existence. The queen, I was told, certainly worships a few household idols, but she places far less reliance on these than on the verdicts of the Sikidy; and when a missionary once spoke to her of the immortality of the soul, she is said to have considered him mad, and to have laughed aloud in his face. The people are allowed to worship any thing they like—a tree, a river, or a rock—but belief in Christ is strictly forbidden. With the exception of the few who have become converted to the Christian faith in spite of the queen’s prohibition, the bulk of the people believe in nothing at all, at which I wondered the more when I considered that some of the races living in Madagascar are descended from the Arabs and Malays, nations who in the earliest times had some ideas of God and of religion.
Oh, how much it is to be wished that the government should pass into Prince Rakoto’s hands! I am certain that this beautiful country would then make the most rapid strides in intellectual progress and in material wealth.
June 30. When I was traveling in the United States, I thought I had found the country where women had the greatest freedom, and the greatest independence of thought and action. What an error! Here, in Madagascar, they lead a much more independent, unrestrained life. I do not speak of Queen Ranavola, whose rank gives her a kind of right to follow only the dictates of her will, but of the other women, who are not subjected to the laws of propriety which trammel us poor European females. Thus, for instance, Mary, the favorite of Prince Rakoto, came very frequently, with his full knowledge, quite alone to our house, not only to pay a visit to Mr. Lambert while he was ill with the fever, but when he was in perfect health. She had often partaken of our evening repast, and to-day she joined us again. While we were sitting at table they brought her little son. I had never seen her in a domestic circle with her child, and was anxious to see how her feelings would be displayed, so I noticed the mother and child during the whole evening. Each treated the other as coldly as if they had never known, much less belonged to, each other. When the child came into the room he did not even greet his mother, but went at once toward the table, where room was made for him at Mr. Lambert’s side; during the whole of supper-time, mother and child never exchanged a word or a glance, although they were only separated from each other by Mr. Lambert.
In vain do Mr. Laborde and other Europeans in Madagascar assure me that strong affection exists here among the natives between parents and children, but that it is not customary to display that affection. I can not believe it, with such a display of indifference before my eyes. A mother who felt real affection toward her child would certainly not be able to conform to custom so completely as to prevent herself from giving the little one a loving glance from time to time. And the observations I made this evening were not the only ones of the same kind; during the whole period of my stay in Madagascar I did not see a mother show any affection, or child that seemed to love its parents.
July 2. What will become of us! The carrying out of the design seems to have become impracticable, for from the day when the commander refused to open the doors of the palace, one after another of the conspirators has fallen away, and traitors and spies surround us on all sides. Ever since the 20th of June hardly any one associates with us; we are looked upon partly as state prisoners, and we are compelled to remain the whole day long in our houses, and dare not so much as set foot across the threshold.
The best proof that the queen is perfectly well informed of the conspiracy, and only pretends to know nothing about it for the sake of her son, of whom she is very fond, appears in the fact of her having, a few days since, forbidden every one, on pain of death, to make any accusation whatever against the prince, or to impart any surmise of his guilt to her.
This trait is worthy of the cunning characteristic of her race. Having taken all necessary measures, and convinced herself that the power of the conspirators is broken, and that she has nothing to fear, she seeks to hide her son’s fault from the people.
July 3. To-day sorrow and fear have been spread over all the city. Early in the morning the people were called together, and ordered to betake themselves at a certain hour to the bazar, to be present at a great kabar to be held there. Such an announcement always spreads terror and apprehension among the people, for they know from sad experience that a kabar signifies, for them, persecution, and torture, and sentences of death. There was a general howling and wailing, a rushing and running through the streets, as if the town had been attacked by a hostile army, and, as if to strengthen that belief, all entrances to the town were occupied by troops, and the poor people were torn forcibly from their houses by the soldiers, and driven to the market-place.