550 
ISLAND OF MADAGASCAR. 
his return to the Isle of France,, the following ceremony of 
making a brother, which is stated in the information sent by 
Mr. Milne. 
The intention seems something like that of free masonry. 
When the people were collected^ a tub^ full of bull's bloody 
was placed in the middle of them. A quantity of gunpowder, 
with a pistol or two, was thrown in ; after which it was 
stirred with a long piece of iron, the point of which every 
man touched with his tongue. The effect of this on the 
natives is so strong, that they would do any thing for the 
stranger who thus becomes their brother, yea, even lay down 
their lives for him. The same gentleman also said, that 
should any native strike a European, the Chief would instant- 
ly order punishment, perhaps death. 
They have some confused idea of the creation. The 
learned among them affirm that the Creator of heaven and 
earth drew, from the body of the first man, seven women, 
who are the mothers of the tribes. This tradition evidently 
originates from sacred scripture. 
A gentleman related to Mr. Milne a ceremony, which he 
had witnessed in Madagascar, and which bears considerable 
resemblance to the Lord's supper, A company is collect- 
ed, and a sacrifice killed. A table, covered with banana 
leaves, is set in the middle. On this a person places three 
small pieces of bread, and pieces of the flesh of the sacrifice 
opposite to the bread, and a bottle filled with liquor. Then 
the master of the family offers up a prayer to God for a 
blessing on his children and friends ; after which the bread is 
broken, and the whole distributed to the company." 
Aged persons are universally treated with respect, and 
never exposed, as in some pagan countries. Mr. Milne 
could not obtain information of the kind of ceremony which 
takes place on the occasion of marriage ; however, all agreed 
that a plurality of women is common to the chiefs, but that 
one only is legally betrothed; that the rest are considered as 
concubines ; that considerable happiness is enjoyed in the 
matrimonial state, but that divorces are not uncommon. 
The circumcision of children is common throughout the 
island. On such occasions there is a feast, the neighbours 
are called, and a sacrifice is killed. At the birth of children 
the soothsayers are consulted, and if their decisions prove 
unfavourable, the poor infants are exposed to the wild beasts 
in the woods. They sometimes fire guns on the birth of 
children, and always use much ceremony at the burial of the 
dead. 
