The Fugitives: The Tyrant Queen of Madagascar Part 37

Meanwhile Ravonino and his party pushed on in hot haste towards their place of refuge in the wild forest.

The dangers to which they were exposed and the risks they ran on this adventurous journey were too numerous to be related in detail. We can only touch on a few of them here.

Laihova, it may be mentioned in pa.s.sing, failed to join them, certainly not from want of will, but because the place where he had concealed himself was discovered while he lay awaiting the signal to join his friends. Two female relations who knew of his hiding-place were caught, convicted, if we may so put it, of Christianity! and put to the torture.

Although true-hearted, these poor girls were so agonised by suffering and terror that, in a moment of weakness, they disclosed the secret.

But even among prison authorities there were found followers of Jesus-- secretly, however, for fear of the tyrant Queen--and one of these sent a swift messenger to Laihova to warn him. Had the youth been an ordinary man the warning would have been too late, for close on the heels of the messenger came the soldiers with his death-warrant. But Laihova was gifted with cool courage and unusual speed of foot. Trust, also, in the certainty of G.o.d's blessing, whether life or death should be his portion, filled him with that spirit of enthusiastic energy which goes so far, in all circ.u.mstances of life, to ensure success. He soon distanced his pursuers, left them out of sight behind, and, finally, found refuge with a Christian friend, who hid him over an oven in his house when he had reached the last stage of exhaustion from hard running, and could not have advanced further without rest. The soldiers came up and searched the house while he was asleep, but happily did not observe the oven! They remained there, however, over the night, and thus rendered it impossible for Laihova to join his friends at that time.

Ravonino could not, of course, afford to delay. Knowing also that his young friend was well able to take care of himself, and that his soul's anchor was the Lord, he felt comparatively little anxiety in starting without him.

To let Rafaravavy have female companions.h.i.+p on the hazardous journey, her lover induced a Christian girl who had been named Sarah to accompany them. This faithful creature was the means of saving their lives more than once by giving timely warning of approaching danger.

The first place to which the fugitives directed their steps was a village about fifty miles from the capital, where dwelt a Christian who, with his wife, offered them hospitality and protection. This man had sent a n.o.ble message to the persecuted ones in the city. It ran thus:--

"Let all the Christians who are compelled to run away for their lives come to me. I will take care of them. As long as I am safe they are safe, and as long as I have food they shall share it."

Not an hour's rest was taken until the house of their friend was reached. Of course they were received with open arms. Food was placed before them, and mats were spread in a safe place on which they might rest. But neither food nor repose would the fugitives take until they had joined the Christian family in thanking G.o.d for their escape and in singing His praise.

"Sing the hymn of dear Ramanisa," said Ravonino as he seated himself at the side of Rafaravavy, after arranging her mat.

The host smiled as he turned over the leaves of a Malagasy hymn-book.

"All the fugitives like that hymn," he said.

"Do you wonder?" returned his guest. "Before the last great persecution he was one of our most faithful preachers of the Gospel, and when trouble came he always forgot himself in his eager desire to help and comfort others. Many a time has he guided and strengthened the Lord's people when they have been compelled to fly,--to travel weary and footsore by night, to wander in the dark forests, and hide in the gloomy caves. Wherever he went there was suns.h.i.+ne, because his heart was very full of the love of Jesus; and when he was led out to be speared, was he not faithful to the last? Perhaps we may be permitted to sing his own hymn along with him some day before the throne. No wonder that we love the words of Ramanisa. They called him Josiah when he was baptized, but he was Ramanisa when the Lord called him, and I think _that_ is the name that is written in the Book of Life."

The hymn composed by this good native, which these Christians began to sing--and which is incorporated, as we have said, in the Malagasy hymn-book,--is still, and will doubtless continue to be, a great favourite with the Christians of Madagascar. The following is a translation of three of the verses. _See Note 1_.

"Loud to the Lord your voices raise, Extol His name, exalt His praise; Publish the wonders of His hand O'er all the earth, in every land.

"Oh! G.o.d, our G.o.d, to Thee we cry, Jesus, the Saviour, be Thou nigh; Oh! sacred Spirit, hear our prayer, And save the afflicted from despair.

"Scarce can we find a place of rest, Save dens and caves, with hunger press'd; Yet Thy compa.s.sion is our bliss, Pilgrims amidst a wilderness."

Poor Rafaravavy had full proof of the truth embodied in these lines, both as to the affliction and the bliss, before many days were over.

The soldiers being strong hardy men, burdened only with their arms, and with little clothing, pushed after the three fugitives with so much vigour that they arrived at the place where the latter had rested on the second day of their flight. While soldiers were thus close to them the utmost caution and close concealment were necessary. They remained where they were, therefore, and every morning, before dawn, Ravonino stole out to a neighbouring mountain with Rafaravavy and her maid.

There they lay hid among the craggy rocks until night-fall, when they returned to their friend's house.

But soon this place of concealment became known to the persecuting prime minister, Rainiharo, who directed the soldiers to search the mountain before going to the village. This they did, but did not find the fugitives, for, as it was cold that morning, they had agreed to run the risk of remaining in the house!

Failing to find those they sought for in the mountain, the soldiers entered the village and approached the house where they lay unperceived by human eye, and it seemed as if at last Rafaravavy's doom was sealed.

Other eyes, however,--very black and sharp ones--observed the enemy, and the owners of these eyes--a flock of crows--rose in alarm at their approach.

"Oh!" exclaimed the handmaiden, Sarah, "the crows are at the rice I spread out to dry!" and out she ran to rescue it. One glimpse of the soldiers was enough. Sarah was equal to the occasion. Without even a backward glance she gave warning to those in the house, but cleverly continued her raid upon the crows, laughingly asking the men when she pa.s.sed them, "if they had come there to search for run-away Christians!"

"This way," whispered the host to his two guests when the warning reached him. Leading them to an inner room he made them creep under a bed and covered them with a mat. As for the chair-bearers and their burden, such adjuncts to Malagasy travel were too numerous and common in the land to attract much attention. Fortunately the soldiers were hungry, and, being eager for food, did not search the house with care, but during their stay of an hour poor Rafaravavy heard all they said respecting her and the orders that had been issued for her arrest and death. At the same time Ravonino became aware that his presence in the neighbourhood was known, though his complicity in the abduction of his companion in distress, he fancied, had not been suspected.

That night the fugitives resumed their journey and travelled till dawn, when they again found safe refuge in the house of a sympathising friend.

Thus they proceeded for several days and nights with the utmost caution, for, wherever they went it was found that soldiers had been sent out in pursuit.

One night they approached a village where they knew they would be kindly received, but had scarcely reached it when they learned that a party of soldiers were searching the neighbourhood for some other woman who had recently disappeared. They were compelled, therefore, to return to the place they had left the day before. From this point they changed their intended route, partly to throw the pursuers off the scent, if possible, and partly to seek temporary refuge at the house of an old woman who was an aunt of Sarah.

"She's a real good Christian," said Sarah, when advising the visit, "and she fears no one but G.o.d. If they ever kill my old aunt she will die singing, or praying for her murderers."

Sure enough, when they reached the hut of the old woman, they heard her singing hymns at the full pitch of her voice, quite regardless of the fact that she was breaking the law and that persecutors were swarming in the land.

"Shelter you!" exclaimed this old woman, when her niece had mentioned the cause of their visit, "yes, I will shelter you as long as my dear Lord gives me the power to do so."

The need for friendly aid was great, for, even while the old woman spoke, a little girl came bounding into the hut saying that a party of soldiers were approaching.

"Run! meet them, child. Then turn and run away as if you were afraid of them. Make them chase you if you can. Run!"

The girl was intelligent. She bounded away, and the old woman, with a degree of activity that was wonderful at her age, led her visitors to the back of her house and hid them in a pit. There they had to spend that night while the aunt entertained their pursuers, but next morning, after the latter had left, their old hostess led them to a plantation close at hand, where they remained concealed for several days, not daring to move, for, at various times, they saw men who were in pursuit of them pa.s.s quite near to their hiding-place.

Here it was decided that the palanquin, or chair-bearers, should proceed no further, as they only increased the danger of discovery, and that Ravonino, Rafaravavy, and Sarah should proceed alone and on foot through the extensive forest which lay just beyond the place.

The first night all went well. The moon was clear enough to make travelling easy, and no enemies were encountered, but the next evening, a little after sunset, on gaining the crest of a hill, they met almost face to face a small band of soldiers who were travelling in the opposite direction.

To crouch behind some rocks was the work of an instant. There was no thick underwood at the spot to conceal them. As Ravonino glanced quickly round, he saw that the only hope was to turn and run. They evidently had not been perceived, but what probability was there that the two trembling girls beside him could escape by such means?

"We must fly, dear one," he said, in desperation, putting his arm round Rafaravavy's waist.

"I cannot run," she said, while a look of resignation settled on her face. "Go, _you_ may escape, perhaps, if the Lord will, and bring us help. Leave us, we are ready to die."

"Leave you, Rafaravavy!" exclaimed the man, with a look almost of triumph. "No--not until my G.o.d commands. May He help us now!"

While he spoke he observed a patch of rushes growing at the side of the path. As a last resource he ran in among them, leading or rather dragging the two girls. To their joy they found that the rushes grew in a pool of water. It was very shallow, but by lying down and sinking themselves into the mud of the deepest part they managed to cover themselves completely, except their heads, which the rushes effectually concealed.

A few minutes later and the soldiers, reaching the crest of the hill, halted to look round and chat. If it had been broad day at the time the fugitives must undoubtedly have been observed, but it was growing dark.

For a few terrible minutes the men conversed--always on the same theme-- the capture and death of Rafaravavy! Then they resumed their march and disappeared among the forest trees.

It was a deplorable plight in which the fugitives now found themselves.

Soaking wet, covered with mud from their necks downwards, and without the prospect of any shelter for the coming night save that afforded by the open forest. Poor Sarah lost heart entirely for a little time and burst into tears, but Rafaravavy, putting her hand on the maid's shoulder, said encouragingly, "`The Lord reigneth. We will not fear what man can do unto us.' Will you pray for us?" she added, turning to their protector.

Ravonino at once kneeled; the two girls sank down beside him, and in few but earnest, simple words he prayed for help in the all-prevailing name of Jesus.

The vigour of body which flowed from the prayer was no fanciful emotion or miraculous effect. The confidence resulting from faith in G.o.d, and the joy of soul and consequent flow of warm blood, were not less natural consequences of prayer than direct answers to it would have been. They rose from their knees refreshed, and walked on with renewed energy for a considerable time; but at last Rafaravavy was fairly overcome with fatigue, and an irresistible desire to sleep. Her maid, being of a more robust physical fibre, was not so much overcome, and declared that she could still go on easily.

Ravonino at last solved the difficulty by taking his lady-love in his strong arms. She submitted with a sleepy protest, and her little head was no sooner on the man's shoulder than she was fast asleep.

And here again the power of joy to give strength became abundantly evident, for when he fairly had Rafaravavy in his arms, a glow of enthusiasm and thankfulness pervaded his entire being, so that he felt as if he had scarcely walked any distance at all that day! His endurance, however, was not destined to be further tested that night, for he had not gone far when he came unexpectedly on the hut of a wood-cutter, who received him hospitably, though, being taciturn, it was not easy to ascertain what were his views, as to the religion for which so many people were then suffering.

Strange to say, during all this trying time, these fugitives found comfort not only from the Word of G.o.d, but from the _Pilgrim's Progress_ of Bunyan! This work had been translated into the Malagasy language by the English missionaries, and many pa.s.sages in it were found to be singularly appropriate to, and comforting in the circ.u.mstances in which the persecuted people were placed. Eight copies of the great allegory had been transcribed by the native Christians themselves for their common use. These being lent from one household to another the details of the story soon spread. Naturally those who possessed strong memories learned much of it by heart, and thus it became a book which the afflicted Christians prized next to the Bible.

Note 1. Extracted from _Madagascar, its Missions and Martyrs_, by E.

Prout, for the London Missionary Society.