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HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR, 
CHAP. VIL 
The rite of circumcision—Appointment of the time for its observance— 
Consecration of the vessel for the holy-water—Procession for bringing 
the holy water and other requisites for the ceremony—Bull-baiting and 
other amusements at the festival—Platting of baskets—Slaughter of a 
sheep—Measuring the children—Planting the banana stem—Benedictions 
pronounced on the children—Public addresses delivered to them—The 
faditra, or offering to bear away evil—The strong water—Slaughter of the 
red bullock—The father's address to the son while the rite is performing 
—Conduct of the mothers on the occasion—Feasting at the close of the 
ceremonies—The custom of forming brotherhoods by drinking of blood— 
Parties who thus enter into solemn covenant—Symbols used—Form of 
oath or engagement—The mouth of the heart—The drinking of each 
other’s blood—Extent to which the engagement is binding—Existence 
of a similar custom in Borneo—Nature and operations of slavery— Hard 
lot of the slave-mother— Mode of redemption from slavery—Bondsmen 
of the government—Hospitality of Madagascar. 
Before a youth is considered fit for the army, or capable of 
rendering any service to the government, and hence before 
any domestic establishment can be formed, he must undergo 
a ceremony practised by many nations of the earth, and 
variously estimated by different tribes—this ceremony is 
circumcision. No date can be assigned for its introduction 
among the Malagasy. It was either brought by the original 
settlers, or introduced by Arab or other traders of African 
descent, at a very early period. Tradition states, that 
Andriamanelo established the custom in the interior of the 
island, and that Andrianjaka added to its observances. 
Those chieftains, however lived in a period comparatively 
modern. Flacourt describes the ceremony as practised in 
