VOYAGE TO MADAGASCAR. 47 



tvomen fing and dance incefTantly, througli-. 

 out the whole day, and even during a part 

 of the night. They imagine that thefe con- 

 tinual dances animate their hufbands, and 

 increafe their vigour and courage. They 

 fcarcely allow themfelves time to enjoy their 

 meals. When the vpar is ended, they af- 

 femble, at funfet, and renew their finging 

 and dancing, wluch always begin with much 

 noife, and the found of various inftruments. 

 Their fongs are either panegyrics or fatires ; 

 and appeared to me to intereft the fpeda- 

 tors very much. Such fports are a kind of 

 ufeful leflbns, in which glorious deeds are 

 celebrated, and contemptible adions ridi- 

 culed. As foon as a woman perceives that 

 her health betrays any figns of having had 

 familiar intercourfe with the Europeans, flie 

 abfents herfelf from thofe joyful afTemblies, 

 in order to avoid tlie cutting raillery of her 

 companions, and to put herfelf under the 



care 



