THE ARAB IMMIGRATION INTO SOUTH-EAST MADAGASCAR. 339 
The people were divided for a long time as to what to do, 
whether to act according to the girl’s advice, or not. And 
when they decided to act as she had said, a difference arose 
as to the disposal of the maid. Some were for killing her as 
an incumbrance, others were for sparing her; but at last 
they agreed to let herlive. They caught the dogs, took them 
with them, surrounded the walls, and urged on the dogs. 
The inhabitants were so frightened at the unwonted noise 
and curious on-rush, that they lost their wits. Some threw 
themselves into the sea; some got ito canoes and made off; 
while the remainder fell panic-stricken into the hands of the 
enemy. ‘Those who escaped in the canoes were the 
ancestors of the Talaotra, who made their way to the 
Matitanana. It is because of this incident, or supposed 
incident, that the dog is a tabooed animal with the 
Talaotra.* 
The sub-tribes represented by those in the canoe were the 
Anakara, Taiony, Taitsimaito, and Taivandrika. The king 
who was at the head of the expedition was Andriamarohala. 
But it ought to be mentioned that the Taimoro use the word 
“king” in a very broad sense, and in the use of the name 
make no distinction between an hereditary king, an elected 
tribal chief, or a leader or commander chosen for a single 
expedition. I may mention, by way of illustrating the broad 
signification of this word, an incident that came under my 
notice a short time ago. In the course of an itinerating 
journey, I met a small company of our school-children enjoy- 
ing a holiday at Nosikély, a village some hours’ journey from 
their home. ‘They had made up a party for a few days, and 
had taken a house for themselves; and when I asked them 
who had accompanied them to take care of them and see to 
their food, they told me that before starting they had chosen 
one of their number, the biggest boy, about 13 years of age 
as “king,” and they did as he commanded them, and he was 
* In connection with this subject, it may be mentioned that even now, 
if a dog rubs against one of these people, it renders that person unclean. 
He must go immediately to the river and bathe, and whatever clothes he 
is wearing next the skin are thrown away, or given to the slaves. If by 
chance a dog jumps over or passes over the rice, when it is spread in the 
sun to dry previously to being husked, it is at once thrown away, r 
given to the slaves. But intercourse with the Hova and other tribes is 
gradually lessening the hold which these and other customs and fady 
have upon the Taimoro. 
Z 2 
