HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
207 
Locusts are stewed, or fried in the same manner ; their 
wings being first removed by shaking them together in 
order to detach the legs and wings from their bodies, and 
then winnowing in the manner already described. 
Vegetables are usually boiled. Yams are boiled or 
roasted. Manioc root is boiled, roasted, or dried in the 
sun till it resembles pipe-clay. Eggs are boiled hard. 
Maize is roasted or boiled, excepting when made into a 
sort of bread. Arrow-root is boiled. Whatever pepper or 
salt, &c. is used, is thrown in during the cooking process, 
and not taken with the food afterwards. 
The manner of taking meals among the Malagasy 
is remarkably simple and primitive. When the rice is 
cooked, and the laoka, whatever it may be, (which is always 
dressed in a separate vessel,) is ready, the family, guided 
by the position of the sun in the heavens, generally wend 
their way to the house. 
All classes, excepting the aged, the sick, and infants, 
or young children, take only two meals in the day; the 
first about noon, and the second after sunset, usually from 
seven to eight o’clock in the evening. 
When the household, including slaves, meet at their 
meals, the master and rest of the family seat themselves, in 
a kind of squatting position, on mats spread for the pur¬ 
pose, on the west and north sides of the fireplace, leaning 
their backs against the sides of the house; the slaves form 
themselves in a line on the ground, on the east and south 
sides of the dwelling. The hands of all are washed before 
they begin their meal. This is done by a slave going round 
with water in a zinga, or horn, which he pours on the 
hands of each individual, who thus prepares to take his 
repast. 
When all are ready, earthenware plates, or rather basons, 
