So the missionary from England came to Tananariva bearing the sword instead of the olive-branch. He not only unfolded Mr. Lambert’s alarming schemes to the queen, but gave Prince Rakoto a long lecture on the exceeding turpitude of his conduct toward his royal mother in meditating revolt, declaring, moreover, that the English court had been so shocked by the news as verily to have _put on mourning_!
The prince condescended to excuse himself by asserting, in reply, that, had he meditated removing his mother from the throne to place himself upon it, he should have merited the reproach; but that such was not the case, as he merely wished to deprive the queen of the power of perpetrating cruelties; every other privilege he wished her to retain, and for himself he had asked nothing at all.
At Tananariva, and also in the Mauritius, a report was circulated that Mr. Lambert had obtained the prince’s signature to the contract by fraud; that the prince had not been at all inclined to enter into a private treaty with Mr. Lambert, but that the latter had invited him to a banquet, intoxicated him, and prevailed on him to sign while in that condition. It was farther stated that when, on the following day, Prince Rakoto heard what he had done, he was so incensed against Mr. Lambert that he had banished him from his presence forever. Mr. Lambert was therefore very considerately advised never to return to Madagascar, as he might fear the worst from the hatred and contempt alike of the queen and of Prince Rakoto.
At Tananariva the prince himself told me the story of the signing of the treaty. He let me read the document, and assured me that the tale of the intoxication was a fiction; that he had perfectly understood what he was doing, and that he never repented this step at all. I much wish the author of this scandalous report could have seen with what contemptuous anger he was spoken of on this occasion.
I must also contradict a statement that the English missionary spread abroad in the Mauritius on his return from Madagascar. He boasted every where of the favorable reception he had met with at Tananariva, and of the great favor he enjoyed at the hands of the queen and of Prince Rakoto. This favor was so great, in fact, that after a stay of scarcely four weeks at Tananariva he received a peremptory order to depart. He applied for permission to remain longer, alleging as a reason that the fever season was not yet past, and disease was still rife in the lowlands. He begged the queen to take this into consideration, and not to expose him to mortal danger. But all was in vain; he was compelled to quit Tananariva. The queen was highly exasperated against him because he had distributed some Bibles, while Prince Rakoto resented his behavior toward Mr. Lambert.