CHAP. X. NATIVE MUSICIANS AND MUSIC. 255 



of tomtoms, or native drums, and a rude sort of singing, with 

 but little intermission, from soon after sunset until midnight, 

 especially at the low houses at which native arrack was sold. 

 Besides this, a house on the outside of the fence enclosing that 

 in which I resided seemed to be the abode of a company of 

 musicians, who with drums, fifes, tambourines, clarionets, and 

 triangles, or, exchanging these for two or three violins, 

 gathered within and around their dwelling a considerable 

 crowd throughout the early part of the night. By daybreak 

 in the morning the drums or violins of my neighbours were 

 also in frequent requisition ; and few were the hours of the 

 day excepting those of extreme heat during which their 

 music was not heard. A number of strangers who came 

 to my house on the following day earnestly inquired whether 

 I had any violins for sale, and this instrument appeared to 

 have become quite popular among certain classes of the people 

 since my visits in 1853 and 1854. 



On the second day after my arrival I accompanied a chief 

 to the residence of one of the officers of the port. On en- 

 tering his house, the walls and floor of which were neatly 

 covered with mats, we found him sitting in an arm-chair, his 

 spear and round wooden shield covered with bullock's hide 

 hanging on the wall behind him. Two or three chiefs were 

 standing on one side of him, and his wife, and her sister, and a 

 female assistant sitting on the other ; and on the opposite side 

 of the room half a dozen Malagasy musicians, some in native 

 costume, others in shirts and trowsers, all sitting on the floor, one 

 thrumming the native valiha, and the rest scraping the violin 

 with great earnestness, beating time all the while with their 

 heels on the floor. They ceased soon after we had entered ; but 

 while we were talking, an officer from the governor approached, 

 and as soon as he was announced the natives commenced their 

 music, which they continued until after he was seated ; and 

 when he rose to depart they began again, and continued as 



