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Entrée1  Madagascar in War Time    
Sous-titre  2  The "Times" special correspondent's experiences among the Hovas during the French invasion of 1895
Partie du discours  3  nom propre (titre de livre) [Liste complète]
Auteur  4 Knight E. F.
Editions  1896. Pages: 336, map and illustrations.
Extraits  We were joined at Durban by another passenger for Madagascar, the Rev.J. Pearse, of the London Missionary Society,who has lived in Madagascar for thirty years, and most probably understandsthe language and the people better than any other white man on the island. The system of fanempoana, or forced labour, puts it in the powerof every provincial governor, and indeed of every petty official,to enrich himself at the expense of the wretched cultivators of the soil.For example, should the Prime Minister order a Governor to send ahundred labourers to the capital for some purpose, the Governor would despatch hisdekas (a corruption of aide-de-camp) to impress four hundred men,the superfluous three hundred of whom he would release on payment oftheir part of blackmail. This left us eight men each to carry ourfilanjana (palanquins)...These trained palanquin-bearers in Madagascar have marvellous agilityand endurance. It is usual to take eight men: while four carry the palanquin,the other four trot on in front ready to take their place.They relieve each other at frequent intervals, and there is no check in the pacewhen this is done, the men one by one slipping nimbly aside while theirfellows, running alongside, in their turn place their shoulders under the long poles.In this way they can easily carry a man thirty miles a day and moreif the conditions are favourable;
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Mis à jour le 2025/11/17