The Portland daily press., 1895-06-29
THEcoURT OF MADAGASCAR.
Queen RanavaIona and the Premier-Hus-
band Who Rules Her.

Dr. Meyer d'Estray describes in the
Journal des Economistes of latest date
the court of the sovereign of Madagascar
Ranavalona Ill, the reigning Queen,
says DR.. d'Estray, is far from having
delicate features, and her complexion is
considerably darker than most of her sub
jects. Her figure is above medium
height. She dresses in European gar
ments, and upon state occasions wears a
robe of red velvet and crown of gold.
Her usual residence is not the enormous
three story palace Moja Kamiadana,
built for Ranayalona L by French ar
chitect but stone mansion hard by
called the Palace of Masandro, arranged
in good taste and with proper regard to
comfort. The Queens supreme power is
only apparent, the real sovereign being
her husband and Prime Minister,
Raiuilairivoni. o man of 65, who has seen
three Queens on the throne and has for
thirty years brought tempest or fair
weather to the State, as seemed to him
best. He is small and lean and rich. His
wavy hair bespeaks his humble origin.
Under an air of good-fellowship he con-
ceals extreme energy, an iron will, and
much keenness of intellect. Withal he is
an able politician. He lives in the Pal
ace of Zanovola, called the Silver House,
because, when it was built for Prince
Rakoto, son of a former Queen, the
Prince caused it to be studded with silver
nails and furnished with silver locks
The Premier King dresses plainly save
on great occasions, when he wears dol
man of white satin, embroidered with
gold; short trousers ending in white
stockings, with ribboned garters; great
buskins, with very high heels, and sus-
pended from his shoulder cross belt,
heavy with gold, which supports sabre,
whose scabbard of black leather is en-
crusted with gold. Round his neck he
wears the collar of commander of the
French Legion of Honor.
Perhaps the most impressive annual
ceremony of the court is that which oc-
ours Nov 81, the tenth day of the Mala-
gassy new year.
Business is suspended and the sovereign
commands that enemies become friends
for at least that day. So literally is the
command lobeyed that wives return to
their divorced husbands. Gifts are ex-
changed the country over. At g O'Clock
on the evening of Nov q there is salvo
of artillery, and the native dignitaries
along with distinguished Europeans,
hasten to the Palace of Silver There the
Queen is found enthroned upon dais
covered with red velvet. The servants of
the Queen file past offering presents
Then the Prime Minister makes long
speech, reviewing the events of the year
just closed, praising the virtues of the
Queen, and holding up to the people the
wisdom of her Government, which is his
own. AS he reviews each act of Govern
ment he asks whether it was just and
right, and the shouted reply from the as
sembled company is MARINER izayp'
1t is true" The Queen, who has a
shocking habit of tobacco chewing, keeps
it up vigorously throughout her hus-
bands speech, and uses a silver vase as a
cuspidor.
When the speech is done the relatives of
the Queen, from her Oldest uncle to her
tiniest nephew, file before her bearing
spoons for preparing the traditional rice
Before the rice is presented the Queen dis
appears behind a curtain screen, where a
basin of warm water has been made
ready, and takes bath. The cannons
announce that the publication of the
royal person is complete, and the Queen,
having dressed returns to the throne
She bears now an OK horn filled with
water from her bath. Having wet her
fingers with the water, she streaks her
forehead with different caste marks, and
having sprinkled those round about she
solemnly eats several spoonfuls of rice,
the first cooked in the country since the
opening of the new year. This ends the
official fete, but it is continued next day
and for several days thereafter by the
people Throughout the country with vari-
GUS observances and much zeal. The
Queen let's loose in the streets of the capi-
tai half dozen fat cattle which are
madly pursued by the people, the first
man to bring down and seize one of the
beasts becoming it's possessor.