174 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
ment by the friends of the respective parties before the 
separation is publicly announced; sometimes they are 
divided, sometimes left with the relatives of the father, 
at other times taken by those of the mother. 
The woman is at liberty to marry again as soon as she 
pleases, after the lapse of twelve days. Though, in the 
instance mentioned, the divorced wife is permitted to 
marry again after the lapse of twelve days, the divorcing 
husband has, according to law, or usages which have equal 
authority, the power of divorcing his wife in such a manner 
as to prevent her ever marrying again. On these occasions 
she is often treated personally with extreme cruelty, and, 
during the formal process of being divorced, receives first 
a black fowl , expressive, it is supposed, of the wish of her 
husband that she may ever be to all others a repulsive 
object; second, a walking-stick , indicating that for the 
future she is to have no home, but is to be an outcast on 
the roads; third, a small piece of money , signifying that she 
is to be dependent on what is given by others; and fourth, 
a piece of white gun-wadding , to signify that she is to con¬ 
tinue in that state till her hair is white with age. 
A widow forfeits all claim to respectability of character, 
if she marry within twelve months of her husband’s decease, 
and would, were she thus to act, be marked and shunned in 
society. 
Though the females in Madagascar are not reduced to the 
humiliating state of degradation in which they are found 
among some uncivilized portions of the human race, the 
usages here noticed shew, that, as among all other com¬ 
munities unblessed by the elevating and softening influence 
of the gospel, she is far from being esteemed as the equal, 
the companion of man, excepting in his humiliation and 
disgrace. If the husband be guilty of any crime for which 
