The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-04-10
Queen Ranaralona III.


Great preparations have been going on
the people and elder scholars from the
various divisions of the central prov
inces to come up TO the capital for, the
great event, and little encampmcnts
were formed in different parts of the
city for at least week previous. The
MaLagGsy Gazette. issued On Saturday,
the 18th of November, was accom-
panied by supplement containing a
plan OF the great plain OF Mahamasina.
below the palace, on the west OF the
city. where the coronation took place.
Eight roads converge on the holy stone
in the center, round which a platform
of wood has been erected. The plan
reproduced herewith shows the posi-
tiOns to be occupied by the various divi-
sions of the people and details the ar
rangements which had been made to
avoid accidents and to provide medical
help if needed. In order to encourage
the schools and TO show the desire of
the Queen for the advancement of the
people in education, the former custom
Of having soldiers to meet her Majesty
was set aside. and 500 boys and 40O
girls from the various schools of the
city were selected for this honor; all
the schools. both town and country,
were assigned place at Mahamasina,
with their teachers and inspectors. On
the day before the coronation, Novem-
Der q. there was an immense gather
ing of the lads from all the schools on
the plain to show their proficiency in
Ill TO h ich
they have been giving so much atten-
ton for many months past. This was
inspected By the Queen from the palace
on the overhanging hills, and gave great
satisfaction.
Long before daybreak on Thursday,
November p, the people were astir.
The roads leading to Mahamasina were
speedily lined and the great plain itself
filled. At five n. m. twenty-One guns were
fired, and the great event was fairly
inaugurated. But those who knew any
thing of Madagascar knew that they
must learn to wait. The next step an
nounced was the starting of the Queen
from the palace at eight O'Clock, when
| all the cannon in the city were to fire.
at the appointed time a Dumber OF
natives and few foreigners, who had
been specially invited, were waiting at
AndohalO, an open space in the center
of the CITY, where the preliminary cere-
mony of publicly proclaiming the SOW
eregn was TO take place. But 1T was
not till eleven o'clock that the cannons
doomed out and the procession from
the palace began to wind down the hiil.
| The Queen was covered with the large
scarlet umbrella, the Malagasy emblem
of royalty, and was carried in her pal
anquin to the sacred stone from which
her predecessors had been proclaimed
sovereigns. The young Queen was evil
IDENTIFY very nervous. The Prime Min
lister moved Of about dozen PAGES and
proclaimed her Ranavalomanjaka, Sow
ereion of Madagascar, and then fell on
his knees and remained in that position
of homage for some seconds; the cannon
again were fired, the band played the
| Malagasy National anthem and the
procession started for Mahamasina.
1t was near midday when Her Maj
esty and followers got on the platform
and found themselves in the presence
OF between 10000 and 100000 Hovas
from all parts of Imerina. The Queen
was under an ornamented canopy, with
the words '.God is with u.s. on the avn
inc and with large, handsomely bound
Bible on a table by her side. Her dress
was white silk, brocaded with gold and
her train crimson velvet with heavy gold
! embroidery, and she wore large gold
crown. Again the Prime Minister pro
claimed her .'Queen of Madagascar
and did homage on Bonded knees amidst
! the shouts OF the people and the thun-
| der of cannon and the ilouriShing OF
| thousands of shields and spears. The
Queen then made q short speech, pro-
nounced in fairly loud and audible
voice. The two chief points IN her
speech were that she would ''mitsangan-
ko lehilchy' literally, stand up as a
man''-with her people to oppose any
who might attempt 10 take even hair s
breadth of the country, and that she de-
sired the teaching in the schools and
churches to 90 on vigorously. She quo
ted the texts, The fear OF the Lord is
the beginning of wisdom" and fright
| eolsueSs exalteth Il Nation" After q
lon0 and somewhat tedious delay, dur
| inc which the various classes of people
o ered their allegiance and presented
.shasina7'Ea present OF mOney-the
| Queen and Prime Minister and follow
ers went down on the plain, and Her
Majesty got into light spring carriage
and was drawn by men or the horse
was scarcely steady enoIgh) up and
down the various paths along which the
| people were ranged.
This new departure caused great sat
! isfaction. as the mass of the people had
mot formerly been able to see the soy
ereipn so near to them. The day fol-
lowing the coronation all the school
| teachers and visitors were called to
oether to hear the Queens word about
the schools before returning TO their
various villages. They were hidden
to be diligent and earnest in their work,
| and the significant announcement was
made that henceforth the spear and
shield exercise need only be taught
| once month, instead of every day as
heretofore since the beginning OF the
war. On Saturday, November "A, a
grand feast was given in Mania Kami-
adana, the large stone palace, at which
the chief people OF Imerina, the repre-,
| sentatives from the distant parts of the
country, and twenty-four Vazaha, in
Guiding English, Norwegians and Amer
leans, were present. The Queen was
! present, dressed in green and gold
brocaIed silk, with a different crown
on her head from that which sAe wore
at the coronation. The tables were
loaded with substantial dishes-beef,
1 turkeys, geese. fowls, etc.-as well as
sweets and delicacies. and the whole
repast was served in European fashion.
Madagascar Cor. Pail Mall Gazette.