The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-07-07
NARROW ESCAPE or MiDAHE IDd pFPyFFER
l-ft. ON THE island OF MADAGASCAR a - {

MARROW ESCAPE or MiDAHE IDi PFRIFFER
nv ON THE hSLAND or MADAGASCAR. ~
Correspondence Of the N Y. Journal Of commerecI
i6sssrs t.4 u S. STEAM FRIeArE PownArAS.
Fort LOUIS MAuarrlus, March 80, 1858
After doubling the Cape of Good Hope, our course Law
off the eastern coast of Africa, bringing us near the
great Island of Madagascar 900 miles long by $50
wide. Though could not it. n ycinage brought
1t into memory and revived recolections Of the
labo of the good who some thirty years ago did so
much to cvilize and chrisanze it, and large numbers
OF whose sincere native converts had suffered death In
every cruel form by the order Of the Infatuated and bru
tai Queen. Some had been burned alive cruelty
manged by the scouSge, heavily hned and others
especially the higher classes and MOBILES had been reduc
ed to slavery for life condemned to carry stones TO
build houses, in order to bettle and degrade them
But her yorte method of punishment hurting her
victims from the top of rock in her capitol down
fearful precpice where they were dashed in pieces at
the bottom. 1t was the Tarpeian rock of Tananar-
va, the seat OF her government exactly resembling in
its terrible form and another Rome The natives
call the rock lempabamrimana, the meaning of which
do not know unless 1t designed measure the depth
of the preeipce by the length of the word The first
precpicc 80 feet Deep down which the victims were
hurled when their bodies received scatter
ed MASSES OF broken rock from whence their remains fell
again 300 400 feet below at the base of the rock
The poor christians led to the brow of this terrible
precpice cord binding their hands was attached to
tree little distance back and while the executioner
stood with drawn sword ready to the cord with
blow, and the terrible abyss yawned before their ewes
the Christian martyrs asked whether they would re-
nounce Christianity and return to heathenism make
the plunge Almost without exception rude MS they
were and Young in Christian knowledge .yet strong in
faith, giving glory to God they babe the execuoner
strike, and in moment were mangled corpses in the
deep and dark gorge at the bottom Of the rock Noble
martyrs, worthy OF the best days of Christianity Thou
sands fled to the and mountains for conceament
from which, at times, numbers dragged to execu
ton they Glanced to be discovered and the thought
would arise and pain when we steamed along the coast
mil Of
enacted
Radama succeeded to the throne in 1903, and having
been sent to England to be educated returned in 1917
and having become acquainted with Christianity and civ
ization, at introduced various important reforms
and improvements in his Kingdom bcfriending the Eng
ish missionaries and supporting numerous schools
above l00for the education of his subjects July 1928
he poisoned by his wife, who succeeded TO the throne
and at once proceeded to undo all her husband had done
and perperte the crimes and denominations which prove
her to be monster. Her is Ranaralona Manjaca
Her son Is not only young Of amabe disposition
and sudios habits but consistent christian and since
his mother must go the grave in consequence of
her brutal ntempeance and licenousness to say moth
ing of natural diseases Of the way in which she dis
posed of her husband, the son will before long
ascend the throne and better days dawn upon unhappy
Madagascar.
Besides this, other circumstances indicate an approach
ing change in the condition Of this island learn since
reaching Maurtis that French vessel has recently been
seized and plundered by the natives and the officers and
all murdered France has old claim on the isl
and as well England in virtue of repeated attempts at
planting colonies on the coass which broken up by
the deadly climate rather than by any opposition from the
navcs and this outrage upon the French vessel with
another upon the celebrated female traveller Madam Ida
Pfeiffer and Frenchman who accompanied her, has
reused the French spirit in the East and it is loudly
demanded that not only shall the crime be punished but
the old claims to the island be asserted and Madagascar
like the neghboring isle of Bourbon be made part of
the French empire Itwoud not be strange if the French
fleet when its object in Chipa accomplished should
oEa ~
very friendly or courteous one.
that this lady claims to belong to tho strong
minded women, but at least she is endowed with strong
limbs and courageous heart. For a long time she
seemed to have closed up her wanderingB and dsap-
peared from this mundane sphere in every quarter north
SOUTH east and west confess to being startled at find
ing she had been recently at this island and wandering
about in this great Indian ocean The papers of Port
Louis French and English contain notices of her adyen-
lures, and in one find letter from her in French re-
ang to her visit to Madagascar and her sudden retreat
which, from the interesting intelligence it gives of the
state of the island, it being also the latest, will trans
late for the Journal of Commerce. correcting some errors
into which she has fallen
Notwithstanding the intrigues gotten up against Mr.
Lambert by the English missionaries he received letters
from Tamatava and Tananariva, where he had many
friends, who entrcated him to there immediately
as the Queen and her son. the Prince expected him with
impotence They gave him liberty, without his asking
it, to remain three months at Tananariva when ord
nary strangers are not allowed to remain above one
month at the most. Consequently departed from
Mauritius, and received with the highest respect
Iananariya when arrived there The Prince visited
before had time to change travelling dress and
Mr. Lambert being taken Sick the Prince did not quit
his bedside while the Queen daily sent to inquire for my
health
Our affairs all going on prosperously when
How, who was Christian and English partisan and
to whom to the English missionaries gave the name
RigM Reverend brought accusation against all the
Christians of the country amounting to several thou
sands sending to the Queen list containing the names
fhn T,,sl; tpfn