CHAPTER IX 



AUTUMN AND WINTER 



OTHER noticeable objects when travelling about the 

 central provinces are tall stones of rough undressed 

 granite, from eight to twelve feet high, called Vatoldhy 

 (i.e. " Male stones "), which have been erected in memory of 

 some bygone worthy, or of some notable event, now forgotten, 

 and which often crown the top of prominent hills. They are 

 also sometimes memorials of those who went away to the wars of 

 olden times, and who never returned to their homes. In these 

 cases a square of small stones at least three sides of one is 

 formed as part of the memorial, as a kind of pseudo-tomb. 

 These little enclosures are from eight to ten feet square. A 

 wonderful variety of lichens is often to be seen on these tall 

 stones red, yellow, grey of many shades, black, and pure 

 white embroidering the rough stone. Some have supposed, 

 from the name of these memorials, that we have here a relic 

 of phallic worship. 



A very prominent feature of the social life of the Malagasy is 

 the system of holding large open-air markets all over the central 

 province on the various days of the week. The largest of these 

 is naturally that held in the capital every Friday (Zoma), at 

 which probably from twenty thousand to thirty thousand 

 people are densely crowded together, and where almost every- 

 thing grown or manufactured in the province can be purchased. 

 But two or three of the other markets held within five or six 

 miles of Antananarivo do not fall far short of the Zoma market 

 in size, especially those at Asab6tsy (Saturday) to the north, 

 and at AUtsinainy (Monday) to the north-east. To a stranger 

 these great markets present a very novel and interesting scene, 

 and a good idea may be obtained as to what can be purchased 

 here by taking a stroll through them and noticing their different 

 sections. In one part are oxen and sheep, many of which are 

 killed in the morning, while the meat is cut up and sold during 



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