428 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
spectacle. The queen’s hair was dressed according to the 
Hova mode, in numerous small plaits. On the crown of 
her head she wore an ornament, resembling a piece of 
coral, called in French, “troches,” but in Malagasy, “vola- 
hevitrait consisted of five branches, to each of which a 
red stone, and a small piece of gold, resembling a bell, 
were attached. The end of the coral was fixed in a round 
mother-of-pearl shell, placed above the forehead. With 
this was connected a fine gold chain of native manufacture, 
which, after being wound several times round the coral, 
encircled the brow of the queen, and passed from the fore¬ 
head over the crown to the back of the head. The queen 
wore three necklaces, the first of fine red coral; the se¬ 
cond of a red stone ornamented with gold; and the third 
of red cornelian. Besides these, she wore a scarf, adorned 
in a curious manner with cornelian stones, called vakan- 
tsilehiby. On each arm her majesty wore three bracelets, 
one of white crystal beads, called vakamiarana, one of 
oval pearls, ornamented w r ith gold, and the other of fine 
coral. According to the custom of the country, she also 
wore anklets of coloured glass or precious stones. A white 
picture, ornamented with gold, was suspended from each of 
her ear-rings; and on the third and fourth fingers of each 
hand, she wore rings of gold, ornamented with precious 
stones, having on the third finger of the right hand a 
massive gold ring, beautifully polished. Her upper dress 
(ranzo) was of purple silk, richly ornamented with gold lace, 
having round the wrists, and on the back, a row of gold 
buttons. Her kitamby, or lower dress, was of white silk; 
her mantle, or robe, was of superfine scarlet cloth, orna¬ 
mented similarly to the ranzo; her stockings were white 
silk, her shoes yellow morocco, and her forehead was 
marked with white clay, (taniravo, called, when thus used, 
