3IADAGASCAD, AND FRANCE.*
THE history, especially the remarkable religious history, of Madagascar, has caused it to be written about very largely of late years, and the works of Mr. Ellis and Mr. Sibree are not forgotten or superseded. It is a singular testimony at once to the interest that "the Britain of Africa" inspires, and to the rapidity with which its history is being made, that the works of Mr. Shaw and Mr. Little, dealing with so familiar a subject, have all the charm of novelty. We have no hesitation in saying that it will be quite necessary for any one who wishes to understand the exact position of Madagascar at the present moment—both its internal condition and its relations with the world at large—to master these two books. He had better read them, too, in the order in which we have placed them, and for very much the same reason that one takes blancmange or pudding after, and not before, the joint. Mr. Shaw, whose connection with Madagascar forms part and parcel of the chronicle of the foreign policy of Great Britain during the last two years, has written a substantial, and in every way satisfactory, book,—thorough alike in its history, its sociology, and its natural science, but just a trifle too serious, as was perhaps to be expected of a man who has suffered imprisonment unjustly. Mr. Little, although a missionary, like Mr. Shaw, is a livelier writer, and has a quicker eye at once for the beautiful in Nature and for the grotesque in man. His style is rather that of the viyacious traveller of the type of Mr. Joseph Thomson, than of the studious and earnest observer of political, social, teligious, and natural phenomena. He cannot help telling a comic incident, such as that of the naturalist with whom he travelled, who always carried spirits about him, to preserve specimens in, but who, in a moment of panic, applied himself for fortification to his flask, forgetting a very fine spider that he had consigned to a Clarence-like fate in it. It is, perhaps, just as well for Mr. Little, however, that his volume appeared before Mr. Shaw's, and that the latter does not quite overlap it. When the two authors deal with the same subject, as in their remarks on the flora and fauna of Madagascar, then the value of Mr. Shaw's thorough-going, workmanlike method tells, very much as a long sweep in rowing does against a short, though pretty, stroke. Happily, however, Mr. Shaw dwells very largely, as the title of his volume indicates, on the history of the relations between France and Madagascar, to which his brother-missionary makes but a slight and passing reference. Mr. Little has therefore the fields of physical and social description very much to himself; and whoever wishes to obtain a knowledge of those portions of Madagascar in which the power rather than the presence of the dominant Hovas is felt, shouldconsult Mr. Little's chapter on "New Ground."
A few words must suffice for Mr. Shaw's account of the relations between France and Madagascar, and of his own nowise pleasant experience of the interior of French vessels of war. It is elaborate, interesting, lengthy—in our opinion it is too lengthy—and scrupulously fair. The French iron has not entered into Mr. Shaw's soul. He repeats the now familiar story of his and his wife's ill-treatment at the hands of the temporary French authorities in Tamatave. But he does not pose as a martyr, or thrust himself forward offensively ; and he modestly says nothing about his £1,000 indemnity. He shows no bitterness towards the French ; for although he speaks of the " wily " tactics of the Jesuit missionaries, he obviously regards these from the professional and Protestant, not from the racial and English, point of view. The French have been desperately, and indeed ludicrously, anxious to acquire a footing in Madagascar, ever since Richelieu, who was in his day quite as much of an expansionist as Prince Bismarck or M. Jules Ferry, gave, in 1612, a concession (now seriously regarded as a historical right) of Madagascar to a certain Captain Rigault. The most notable event in the whole history of the French dealings with Madagascar was the all but successful effort of the Polish adventurer Benyowski to establish himself as King of the island about a hundred years ago, only to be shot as a rebel by the French authorities in the Mauritius. At the same time, neither Mr. Shaw nor Mr. Little seems to be aware of the fact that much doubt—to put the matter mildly—has been thrown upon the character and career of this rather melodramatic, if not Mfinchausenish personage. As for the present reality, as distinguished from the historical origin, of the claims of France in Madagascar, it will be enough to quote Mr. Shaw :— " The trade of Madagascar is in the hands of Americans, English, Germans, French, and Italians, and the proportional annual value of the imports and exports of each of those nations is in the order they are named. The value of the American commerce with the island is about equal to the value of the transactions in the hands of the English and French put together. Their imports are grey sheeting and shirting, kerosine oil, and tinned goods ; while the exports embrace chiefly hides, india-rubber, wax, and gum. The English trade is about five times the value of that of the French, who are surpassed considerably by the Germans, although the latter are.represented by but one or two firms. It is also a mistake to take for granted the impression the French colonists of Bourbon try to give, that French subjects are very numeroas in Madagascar. It is wellknown that the British subjects in the island far outnumber them; and the proportion of British to French settled there is said to be as five to one."
It is impossible for the French to fight against time and trade. Even could they conquer the Hovas, which is exceedingly doubtful and would be eminently undesirable, they would be compelled, as in North America, to make way for some nation that has truer and larger interests in Madagascar.
The Roves, with their late and present Queens, Banavolona II. and III., and their remarkable Prime Minister, still in office, are the true heroes of Madagascar, and of these two volumes. There are few things in history more remarkable than the rise and progress of this energetic Malay tribe—for such Mr. Shaw and Mr. Little agree in regarding the Hovas—which established itself on the coasts of Madagascar before the Norman Conquest, advanced into the interior, subdued the central region of' Imerina, built the capital city, Antananarivo, of which a European State need not be ashamed, then under its first great king, Radama I., conquered nearly the whole of the country, including even the turbulent and warlike Sakalavas of the West, whom the French have taken under their ill-omened protectorate, and, finally, within the last quarter of a. century, has thrown itself as heartily into Evangelical Christianity and civilisation as it formerly did into conquest.
"It is not too much to say," says Mr. Shaw, "that no nation, with, perhaps, the exception of the Japanese, has made so much progress, and has shown so much vigour for development in civilisation and Christianity, as the Malagasy, and especially the Hovas, daring the past twenty years Since the late queen, Itanavolona II., ascended the throne, giant strides have been made in social, political, and religions progress. The arts of civilisation have been encouraged by those in authority. The people are wellhoused, well-clothed, and well-fed. The houses are better built, of better material, better arranged, and well-furnished, with well-made native furniture. Ornamentation of a civilised type has taken the place of the crude and often gaudy attempts of twenty years ago ; and the silversmith and goldsmith find plenty of employment. Carpenters, stonemasons, blacksmiths, boottnakers, and tailors have also learned to turn out articles which would be no discredit to workmen in this country, while the best buildings in the capital would be no disgrace to the finest city in the world. The Queen's palace, with its four massive towers, the palatial residence of the Prime Minister, and the graceful spires of the stone memorial churches, attract the attention of the most indifferent traveller, and call for the admiration of all interested in the social advance of the world."
Yet the Hovas dominate by force of brain and will, and not by numbers. Mr. Little gives the following rough census of the Malagasy tribes :—" The Hovas, 800,000; the Sakalavas, 1,000,000; the Betsil6o, about 2,000,000; and the Betsirr.araka, 1,000,000." The Roves are rather the aristocratic or ruling caste of Madagascar than anything else. "Politically," as Mr. Shaw succinctly puts it, "there are twenty-two tribes and pro vincial divisions in the island, each formerly governed by its own chiefs ; but now, in a greater or less degree, acknowledging the supremacy of the Hovas." They are, in fact, the Normans of the island. The needed solid Saxon element to this African Britain will probably be supplied by the socalled " Mozambiques," descended from slaves brought from the mainland by Arab traders. Of this element, Mr. Little says, "It is aggressive, patient, andsagacious, and already possesses wealth and influence, and under these conditions must soon possess a voice in local and domestic matters, which will be certain to be listened to with attention and respect." Radama I. represented Hove energy thrown into conquest ; the late Queen Ranavolona II. as truly represented the virtues of the same race devoted to religion, civilisation, and administration. Regarding her successor, the present Queen Ranavolona III., it is satisfactory to learn from Mr. Shaw that "she is a thoroughly good and earnest Christian woman ; one whom we can confidently trust to use every legitimate effort for the extension of education and morality, purity, and a higher social, domestic, and national integrity." The Prime Minister is, on the showing of both our authors, a very exceptional man, impressive in presence, shrewd, susceptible to new ideas, energetic in public life, and, like every truly great statesman, filled with a passion for justice. Says Mr. Shaw, "When bribery is discovered, it is severely punished, and the desire to have righteous judgments executed is a powerful feeling with the Prime Minister. When the temptations are particularly strong, he has been known to constitute himself chief judge on a trial, and work hour after hour throughout the day in order that justice might be administered with impartial hand."
It is difficult to refrain from quoting at considerable length from these two interesting books about a most interesting people that are destined, if left to cultivate their relations with the outer world in their own way, to have a great future before them. We must content ourselves, however, with referring our readers to Mr. Little's very readable remarks on the habits and life of the Malagasy, and to Mr. Shaw's chapters on their intellectual progress and on the flora and fauna of the island.
In conclusion, we may notice two points. The Malagasy are very welThred. "No one," Mr. Little says, "would think of
passing another on the road without saying, 'Allow me to pass on ; ' to which the usual reply is, 'Pray proceed, Sir.' Then follow a number of inquiries. 'How are you F' How is it with you?' &c., May you reach the end of your journey safely and
happily,' ; and finally the expression ' Vel6ma '—fare you well, and May you live to a good old age,' conclude the greetings." There is some little danger of the inhabitants of Madagascar giving way to intoxicants if they come in contact too much with Europeans, although naturally, as Mr. Little testifies, they are fairly temperate in their habits. The Hovas seem to be ahead of the other Madagascar tribes in sobriety, as in other virtues. Mr. Shaw testifies that nothing stronger than lemonade was drunk at the coronation of Ranavolona III. He
adds rather maliciously,—" It is curious to note that at the coronation of Radama II., the French 2».otgge, not only was the
king intoxicated, but many of his guests and patrons disappeared under the table before the meal was over."
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