2o6 SANITARY ARRANGEMENTS. 



■within a strong rough wooden palisading, forming a square 

 or rova. In one part of this is generally seen the grreat 

 square tomb of the chiefs family, a stone structure in two 

 or three stages, diminishing as they ascend ; and if he is an 

 Andrian or noble, it has a small timber house surmounting 

 the stonework. In this courtyard there often grows an 

 immense amdntana tree, rising high over the dvidvy trees, 

 and forming a great dome of foliage, ever green, and with 

 large glossy leaves. 



The rest of the houses are scattered in rows over the space 

 within the fosse ; the sanitary arrangements are of the most 

 primitive kind, so that the sights and scents are often the 

 reverse of pleasant. At frequent intervals between the 

 houses, and closely adjoining them, are the fdhitra, a kind 

 of shallow square pit, and here the oxen are kept to be 

 fattened for the New Year's festival. And here, being 

 fed regularly with succulent green food, roots, and sugar- 

 cane, they grow to an enormous size, so as to be hardly able 

 to waddle up out of their den. In some of the old towns, a 

 shallow space of ground of considerable extent and surrounded 

 with raised banks is seen, in which, until recently, bull-fights 

 took place. This used to be a favourite amusement with the 

 Malagasy, but it has now happily fallen into disuse. The 

 lanj^uage contains a considerable number of words for various 

 charms, which were supposed to act so as to disable an oppo- 

 nent or to strengthen a favourite animal, and so formed part 

 of the " turf " vocabulary of former times. Frequently in one 

 part of the little town there is a cattle-fold, where a huge 

 layer of powdered cow-dung makes a deep slough of mud in 

 wet weather, and supplies material for clouds of penetrating 

 dust in the dry season. 



But since there has been one settled Government in the 

 central province throughout the present century, the great 

 majority of the villages of Imerina are now built on the level 

 ground, and are, consequently, far less picturesque than the old 

 towns on the hills. Many of these, especially in Imamo and 

 Vonizongo, are distinguished by two or three fine amdntana 

 trees. To the north of Imerina, among the tribe called 

 Sihanaka, the villages have no fosses, but are surrounded by 



