The fury of the Queen when she heard of the flight of Rafaravavy was
terrible, for this was the second of her favourite ladies-in-waiting who
had become Christians and deserted her Court in fear of their lives--
Ra-Ruth, the fair little sister of Ravonino, having been the first.
Fortunately Ranavalona did not think of connecting the flight of
Rafaravavy with the recent entertainments, so that suspicion did not
attach to Mark and his friends. Neither did the executioner with the
Romanised nose suspect them, for in the profound darkness he had not
been able to see who it was that knocked the senses out of him; and when
afterwards he was told of the explosion that had occurred, he came to
the conclusion, (and told his friends), that a big stone, hurled into
the air at that time, had descended on his head and felled him. Whether
the "friends" believed this or not we cannot say, but certain it is that
they covertly rejoiced in the accident, for naturally the man of blood
was no favourite!
As might be supposed, soldiers were at once despatched all over the
country in search of the fugitive; and the Queen, relapsing into one of
her dark fits of cruelty, began to persecute the Christians more
severely than ever. Still, Mark Breezy strove to influence her towards
mercy, and in some measure restrained her.
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 passing, 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 God's blessing, whether life or death should be his
portion, filled him with that spirit of enthusiastic energy which goes
so far, in all circumstances 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 companionship 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 noble 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 God 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 sunshine, 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! God, our God, 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 compassion 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
passed 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 God. 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 pass 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 God 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 God, 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 God, but from the _Pilgrim's Progress_
of Bunyan! This work had been translated into the Malagasy language by
the English missionaries, and many passages in it were found to be
singularly appropriate to, and comforting in the circumstances 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.
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Note 1. Extracted from _Madagascar, its Missions and Martyrs_, by E.
Prout, for the London Missionary Society.