St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1895-12-07
MADAGAsCAR.s CAPITAL.

aud Other Foreigner.
OF late burglaries have been unusu-
ally frequent in the capital, and at
tempts have been made to break into
the consulate and other British houses.
The thieves prowl In bands on the
moonless nights, and. as they go stark
naked, are difficult to catch. Many OF
them are the slaves Of certain mobiles
of ill-repute and broken fortunes, who
organize these plundering expedi-
tions and receive the larger share OF
the proceeds. Some Of the unscrupu.
lous mobiles OF this class own several
hundreds of armed slaves. and it is
these the European residents have
most to fear in the event OF riots in
the city. 1t is doubtful whether an
Antananarivo mob would venture to
face even q handful of armed Euro
peans, but unfortunately the majority
Of the British community have neg
lected to provide themselves with
weapons of any description.
Some of the missionaries in the cap
ital are determined at all hazards to
remain here with their wives and fami-
lies and tocarry on their labors as usual.
The girls schools are not to be broken
up. and the missionaries do not seem to
consider that they incur any response
bility in keeping al these young wom-
en- in the capital at such a time as this.
They argue that it is their duty to
teach SO long as the parents think
proper to send their children to school;
and they will not even take 1t upon
themselves to suggest to parents liv-
ing in the country the advisability OF
withdrawing their children from the
city schools until the war is over. The
missionaries contend that it would
be inexpedient for them to take any
steps likely to inspire the people with
alarm. They therefore practically en-.
courage the prevailing treacherous
feeling Of false security. and the panic
when it does cone will re all the more
dangerous. Some OF these missionaries
in their fanaticism not only refuse to
leave the capital, but declare that,
however great the peril, they will not
join the other Europeans In any
scheme for mutual protection. A
Quaker-whose wife and young daugh.
tiers are here with him-told me that
under no circumstances would he 60
into any house, or behind any barri-
! cade. or into any place whatsoever In
the company Of men carrying arms
This surely is Quakerism carried to an
insane conclusion. II the cowardly
mob OF Antananarivo does rise, tho
people with these notions will allow
themselves to be slaughtered like SO
many sheep
The anti-European feeling 10 in
creasing daily. It Is no longer safe
for an Englishman to visit the Friday
market or to 60 wheresoever natives
are collected in large numbers Even
the most respected missionaries are
received with insulting cries and
threats as they travel through their
districts Up to now the people have
not summoned sufficient courage to as
sault . white man, SO they vent their
spite on our native servants. Tho
Hovs soldiery two days ago fell upon
| an unfortunate boy who was carrying
an Englishman's camera, and beat his
brains out with the butt ends of their
muskets. 1t II an ominous sign. too.
that the prime minister, hitherto al
ways SO scrupulously courteous In his
dealings with our vice consul, now re-
fuses to receive him; and, though Mr..
Porter has laid before his excellency
several complaints Of recent outrages
ON British subjects, he can obtain
neither reparation nor reply to his
official letters. Times