Views in Madagascar: Antananarivo from Lake Anosi
The Illustrated London News, May 2, 1863
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The Illustrated London News (1863).
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Newspaper Cutting
An engraving of a scene in Madagascar's capital, Antananarivo, showing Lake Anosi (Lac Anosy). Page 489 from the 2 May 1863 issue of The Illustrated London News. There is a description of the scene on the reverse side.
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Descriptive text from the back
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ANTANANARIVO, FROM LAKE ANOSI.
The view shows the south-western quarter of the capital as seen from the north-west comer of the lake. This lake, with the palace on the island in the centre of it, is called Anosi; from this end of the lake rises a steep bank, which juts into the lake in a semicircular form at its base, and on its summit is situated the suburb of Soraky. Beyond the lake is the extensive parade ground of Mahamasina, on which is raised the circular white plaster platform surrounding the sacred stone with the canopy ready raised over it for the great event – the coronation of King Radama II. From the foreground across the lake is 700 yards; beyond this the parade-ground extends 800 yards, to the base of the rock on which the capital stands, which rises nearly perpendicularly to a height of 600 ft. In a direct line beyond and above the coronation stone is the rock called Ampahamarinana, over which condemned persons were hurled, and where, a good many Christians suffered martyrdom. On the right is a portion of the conical hill called Ambohidzanahary, and between this and the town lies the road to Isoaierana Palace. In the distance, on the southern extremity of the hill on which the town is built, is dreary execution ground designated Ambohipotsy where criminals were executed either by crucifixion, spearing, or boiling. On the highest part of the town named Tampombohitra, directly in the line passing over the Palace of Anosi, is a one-gun battery, "marked by a small tree," used as a signal-station in alarms. In the centre, and crowning the whole, is the Great Palace; and in its immediate neighbourhood are the houses of the Judges, nobles, and principal officers of the Government.
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Condition of Item
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Very Good; somewhat yellowed.
Refer to the glossary for definitions of terms used to describe the condition of items.
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Categories
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Acknowledgement
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This item was kindly donated to the Madagascar Library collection by Kara Moses.
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