These children remain at Réunion ten or twelve years, according to their age. The boys are generally brought up as mechanics; the girls are taught sewing, &c., while all learn to read and write. When educated they are returned to their own country; and having been brought up in the Roman Catholic religion, they often induce their relatives and friends to be baptized in that faith.
Children are easily obtained, more especially on the north-west or Sakalave portion of the island; for among them Radama did not abolish infanticide, although he succeeded in doing so among the other nations of the island. Among the Sakalaves, every child born on a Friday is abandoned, and these, added to the numbers who are exposed by the heathen party throughout the island if born on what the diviners designate an unlucky omen or day, and saved for the Jesuits, form a numerous aggregate.
My informer, an English gentleman who has been out there for some years, says that he has seen in the school at Nossi-bé as many as twenty boys and girls, who had been abandoned as above stated, and afterwards conveyed by the police to the Sisters of Charity.
There is no doubt that the children thus educated at Réunion will help very much to extend the influence of the French amongst the tribes on the coast of Madagascar. These Jesuits cast their bread upon the waters, and after many days it will return unto them. They do so very judiciously, especially devoting their attention to the Malagasy girls, knowing well the great advantages of educating the future mothers of the Madagascar people in French interests.
The recent attempt of the French to obtain the upper hand in Madagascar, by creating a revolution in that island, has resulted in the most humiliating failure, and has given to the British interest that preponderance which it is sure to maintain with a noble race like the Malagasy people, as long as our relations with them are conducted on just and honourable principles.
A. M. Lambert, of the late firm of Minon, Lambert, & Co., of Port Louis, Mauritius, visited Antananarivo in 1855, avowedly with commercial intentions; and while in the capital of Madagascar, he made certain political proposals to a number of the most influential of the chiefs, but with what success is not exactly known.
He is reported to have received a number of cattle from the Hova government, or chiefs, to be disposed of at Mauritius, the proceeds of which he was to spend in such articles as the natives required, which were to be brought out when he renewed his visit to Antananarivo from France, where he was going to make a short stay.
Madame Ida Pfeiffer, the celebrated lady traveller, was at that time in England raising a subscription to enable her to visit Madagascar, in which object she was successful; the Mauritius papers reported that the Prince Consort contributed 10l., and the British Association for the Advancement of Science a similar amount, towards this purpose.
After M. Lambert’s return to Paris from his political visit in 1855, Madame Ida Pfeiffer went to France; but it cannot be said with certainty whether she met M. Lambert there, or what assistance she received from the French for her proposed expedition.