ciiAr. V. VISIT TO A SICK CHIEF. 117 



were taken to the custom house and afterwards deposited in 

 a large new house belonging to M. Provint, which stood in a 

 healthy part of the settlement, and was kindly granted by 

 the owner for my use. The officers at the custom house ex- 

 amined my things very carefully, and the number of bottles 

 containing photographic chemicals as well as a small case of 

 medicine included in my luggage induced them to regard me 

 as a doctor, and one of them asked if I had anything to cure 

 a headache. 



On the following day I took possession of my house in 

 Tamatave, and while engaged in unpacking and arranging 

 my luggage a messenger came from a neighbouring chief to 

 ask for some medicine. I went forthwith to see him, and 

 then sent him a small quantity of such medicine as appeared 

 to me most suitable. I was much struck with the novel 

 aspect of social life which my visit to the sick chief afforded. 

 I found him not in the large substantial house, with doors and 

 windows, matted walls, and boarded floor, which he usually 

 occupied, but in a low hut in the same enclosure. This I 

 entered by a doorway near the farthest end. After passing 

 through the outer doorway I entered a room about twenty 

 feet long and twelve feet wide, the walls being about five feet 

 high, and closed all round without window or door. About 

 the centre of this room was a sort of raised hearth edged 

 round with stones, on which a wood fire was burning. The 

 room was dimly lighted by a lamp of native structure fixed 

 in the sand of the hearth. The lamp itself was a curiosity, 

 consisting of an iron rod two or three feet long, sharpened to 

 a point a.t one end, and having a cup with a hook above it at 

 the other. The sharp end of the rod was fixed in the sand. 

 The cup contained melted fat. In this was a lighted wick of 

 twisted cotton, and above the flame of the wick a piece of 

 bullock's fat was fixed on the hook, which, as it melted in the 

 flame replenished the cup below. 



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