TANA LA SUPERSTITION. 281 



infant thus destroyed is called niho, a term also employed as 

 indicating the strongest reproach. * 



Among the Tanala one of the months called Faosa is 

 extremely unlucky. " No one works on that month, no one 

 changes his place of abode or goes about. If any one happens 

 to be in the fields when the month comes in there he remains. 

 Almost all children born in that month are buried alive in 

 distant forest; but should the parents determine to let one 

 live, they fetch the ombiasy or diviner." This functionary 

 makes an expiatory bath, consisting of certain grass, herbs, 

 and other articles placed in water, in which the child is 

 bathed. This ceremony puts an end to the child's evil days, 

 and the water and its contents are buried, f 



Among one clan of the Sakalava all children born on 

 Tuesdays are put to death, while almost every family has a 

 day similarly ill-omened to their newly-born offspring. 



The month called by the Hova Alakaosy was esteemed 

 very unlucky ; and among them and other Malagasy tribes 

 the waning of the moon is an unfavourable time for any 

 important undertaking. Among the Antankarana the dead 

 are only buried immediately after the new moon appears. 



Before the destruction of idolatry in Imdrina in 1869 

 every idol had a clay sacred to it, on which day those who 

 were especially its votaries abstained from work. Until quite 

 lately the Sunday or Thursday were the lucky days for the 

 Hova sovereign to go on a journey or commence any under- 

 taking. 



Ordeals. - — Eeference was just now made to a certain 

 ceremony by which a child might be preserved from death, 

 although born on an unlucky day. There are, however, 

 many different ordeals in use among the Malagasy tribes, of 

 which a short description may now be given. 



Foremost among these is the well-known one of the Tangina, 

 or poison ordeal. 



The Tangena is a small and handsome tree growing in the 

 warmer parts of the island, and the poison is procured from 

 the nut of its fruit. This in a small quantity acts as an 



* Lights and Shadows, App. i. p. 5- 

 t Antananarivo Annual, No. ii p. 100. 



