The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-03-16
FESTIVAL OF THE BATH.
How the Queen of Madagascar Observes
Peculiar Ceremony.


How the Queen of Madagascar Observes
Peculiar Ceremony.
The Progress de rImna, French
journal published at Tananarive, gives
an interesting description OF the an
nual ceremony known as the Festival
of the Bath, which is held at Madagas-
car on the 22d of November. The
foreign Ministers and foreign residents
are always invited to this ceremony,
which takes place in the royal palace.
The Progress de L lima describes the
Queen of Madagascar as being draped
in q flowing robe of red, seated upon
the throne, with a young Prince OF the
royal family at her feet. The Prime
Minister was seated at her right, and
to the left. upon red velvet cushion,
was the royal crown, with several OF
the princesses and principal dignitaries
of the court seated, as usual, on the
ground. The European spectators
all stood facing the throne, the
only one allowed seat being
Nj. LIE Myre de Vilers. the French
Minister. Behind the Europeans
stood the ladies of the court,
number of officers and the choir of
singers. The Queens bath was placed
in corner Of the room, rallied off with
curtains. After the Queen had taken
her seat on the throne, a number OF
persons came in with the water and
other objects to be used for the bath
while underneath the bath itself a ire
was lighted. AS soon as the water was
sufficiently heated the Queen came
down from her throne and took seat
to the left, while prayer was being
recited and hymn sung. She then
went into the curtained enclosure and
proceeded to take hec bath, salvo of
artillery announcing to the people that
the sovereign was going through the
most important part of the ceremony.
At the end of about a quarter of an
hour the Queen came out from the bath
dressed in a scarlet robe trimmed with
lace, wearing her crown and a magnifi-
cent diamond necklace, and holding in
her left hand the horn of an OK tipped
with silver, inside which was water from
the bath. Accompanied by her Prime
Minister, she walked to the principal
door of the throne room, sprinkling
the spectators as she passed along.
Salvos of artillery were fired all the
time and until she had taken her seat
on the throne again. The Princes of
the royal family, the representatives
of the different castles of the no.
bility and the Ministers then came
to pay their respects to the Queen
and call down upon her head all the
blessings of heaven. Speaking in the
name OF the people and the army, as
well as his own, the Prime Minister
said in substance that they were all
very pleased that the Fandrona had
come round, that they all hoped her
Majesty would live long enough to see
a thousand such ceremonies, and that
the Queen could count upon the devo-
ton of all her subjects. He concluded
his speech by saying that the relations
of Madagascar with foreign nations
were most satisfactory, to which the
Queen replied very briefly: "These
being your words, 1 am very pleased
and hopeful for the future. May you
live long, gentlemen, and may God
bless you!" Rice, milk, with pieces of
beef preserved since the previous years
festival, were then served, and after
another hymn the ceremony ended.
For three days before the festival it is
unlawful to kill oxen or sheep for food;
but the day after the festival there is a
wholesale slaughter of oxen, it being
estimated that from four thousand to
five thousand beasts are killed in the
twenty-four hours at Tananarive alone.
1t is the custom for each family to send
quarter of beef to its relatives and
most intimate friends, the meal at
which this meat is eaten being followed
by sports and national dances.