214 
MADAGASCAR. 
Over his shoulder he bears his “ scarf of charms,” 
which always rests on his right side. Wrapped 
about his body he carries a few yards of cloth, 
coloured or plain, and slung on his gun are a 
pair of sandals ; and thus equipped he goes forth 
into the battle or foray with a light heart and a 
deadly aim which the Hovas have learnt to dread. 
He has no thoughts beyond his gun, his spear, his 
balls, and his powder. Give him his wives, his 
toaka , his oxen, and his king ; let him go forth 
when he wills to the fight or cattle-lifting he so 
dearly loves, and let him rob, plunder, burn, or 
destroy all that comes in his way, and he cares 
not who reigns in Imerina, or who has nominal 
power in the land. The whistle of the bullet, 
or the sudden war-cry of his clan, are music in 
his ears. And as he springs panther-like upon 
his enemy in the depths of some lonely forest or 
at the solitary and shallow ford of one of his 
beautiful mountain-streams, he realises to the 
full his one idea of happiness. 
But what shall we say of the Bara belie f 
We will leave our readers to form their own 
opinion as to the impression she creates, after we 
have attempted a slight word-portrait of one of 
the Bara ladies as she appeared on an occasion of 
state. Her toes were each set off with from two 
to ten pewter rings, and her ankles with numer¬ 
ous brass and pewter rings, which made music 
