The Red Cloud chief., 1889-03-15

0OV The Oo6S0 ~ 0~ooseoseoS OoesSsss
rsesttss
The Progress de rImna. . frcnch
Journal published ~ T~ansnariv.. gives
an interesting description OF the A
nual ceremony known ~ the Festival
o! the bath. xhich t. held .; Maiaya~
car on the I'D Of November. Ihs
foreign Ministers and foreign residents
are Away. invited % this ceremony.
which takes place In the royal psisc~
The Progress de- / lima dc-crihss the
Queen O! Madagascar as hring drapsd
Ia . towing robe 81 RID. seated upon
the throne. with \ young Prince OF The
royal family "a; her feet The Prime
Minister was seated ~ her right. and
"a the lctt. upon a rid velvet cushion.
was the royal crown. with several "a
the p~rincc>>~> and prinriPa dtgni,ars-s
~ the court seated. ~ usual. On the
ground. The Europcan spectators
AL stood facing the throne. he
only one allowed a eat being
NJ. L. Myrc dc Vilcrs. the Preach
Minister. Behind the Europeans
stood the ladies Of the court. .
number al officers and tho choir q
singers The Queens bath was PLACED
in u corner Of the r,scm. rallied OF With
curtains. After the Vuccn hsd taken
her SEA; on the throne. = number q!
persons came In with the water and
other objects To be u~d for tn. 10th.
while underneath the bath itself n dre
Vas lighted. As Mi ~ the water vas
sufficiently heated the Oar~n came
down from her thronc and tSok = scs,
- the left. while = prayer vas ts,irs
rnc!;"d and q hymn suug, She thcn
went into the curtainci enclosure and
pros,.-d-d Ia take her bath. u salso at
artillery announcing Ia the people hat
the sovereign ~as going through The
most important part of the ceremony.
Al the end 81 about = quarter 81 m
hour h Queen came ont from tho bath
dressed In y scarlet robc trimmed With
lace. wearing her crows aud n maSnin-
cen, diamond n~cklacc. n holding Ia
her left hand the horn Of an Oh iipprl
with silver. Inside which "a. - atrr from
the bath. Accompanied by her Primo
Minister. she walked la the principal
door of the throne room. s~prinkiias
the spectator. As sho passed along.
Salvos oi artillery we're fired all tho
time and until che had taken her seat
on the III rone again. The Princes. 81
the royal family. tho representatives
Of the different castles of the no
biliiy and the Ministers then cams
to pay their RESPECTS Ia the Queen
and call down upon her head ALI the
blessings %! heaven. Speaking In the
name 81 the people and the army. m
well as his own. the Frim. Minister
said in substance that they were nil
very pleased that tho fandrona had
come round. that they all hop<d her
Majesty would live long enough ,o sec
the Queen could count upon tho devo-
ton III all h-r subjects. lie concluded
his speech by saying thai, the relations.
OF Madagascar with foreign nation,
were most satisfactory. to which tho
Queen replied very briefly: ''Th...
being Your words. I am very ploa.csi
and hopeful for the future. Nav you
live long. g.~ntlctnen. and may t.od
bless you Rice. milk. with piece. oi
beef preserved since ,h. pr-siou. years
festival. were then served. and after
another by mn the ceremony ended.
For three days before tho festival IL 10
unlawful 10 kill oxen or sheep Tor food,
bat the day after the festival there Is q
Wholesale slaughter ~ oxen. 4, being
estimated that from four thousand Ia
Eve thousand beasts ar- killed in tho
twcnty-'our hours a: Tnnanarise alone.
!, is the custom for each family Ia send
quarter of beef Ia its relatives aud
intimate friends. the mcai nj
which this meat /. eaten being followed
by sports and national dancc..
I