2io MALAGASY ADORNMENT. 



posts winch are erected near tombs in many parts of the 

 Betsil^o province. Neither the face nor other parts of the 

 body seem to be adorned in this fashion, but only the neck 

 and upper part of the chest, the lines appearing as a dark 

 indigo blue on the olive or brown skin. 



It is also the custom in some other tribes to make marks, 

 which are intended to be ornamental, by slight incisions in 

 the skin ; while another kind of adornment (?), called" tdmhoh' 

 ufo, consists of scars burnt in the skin, — so much pain will 

 people suffer for fashion's sake. The Hova women are also 

 accustomed to put a plaster of white paste on the lips and 

 i'ace, which when removed is supposed to enhance their charms 

 by making them fairer ; and a spot of dark colour is often 

 put on the cheeks with the same intention, much, indeed, as 

 did the beauties of a hundred and fifty years ago in our own 

 country, the contrast of the round black patch with the skin 

 heightening the effect of their fair complexions. The Hova 

 girls are also fond of staining their finger nads with the petals 

 of red flowers, a practice quite the reverse of pleasing to our 

 European tastes. The young men frequently allow the 

 nail of their little fingers to grow to a great length, an inch 

 or an inch and a half, keeping it from breaking by a frequent 

 use of oil. The teeth are kept white, not only by the sensible 

 practice of rinsing the mouth with water immediately after a 

 meal, but also by the application of a black coating called 

 laingo, which after peeling off leaves them of a beautiful 

 whiteness. Among the Tanala or forest tribes the people 

 use this black substance as an adornment, which gives them 

 an unpleasant appearance as they open their mouths ; all the 

 teeth, however, are not thus disfigured, but chiefly those at 

 the back, leaving the front ones white, while in some cases 

 the lower teeth are alternately black and white. 



Modes of Dressing the Hair. — A few words may be said 

 about the various ways of dressing the hair among the different 

 Malagasy tribes. 



This is a very important operation among the people, 

 although it is not a business which they perform every day. 

 Before the time of the first Badama the Hovas, both male and 

 female, all wore their hair long, either hanging in a great 



