HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
225 
the army is about to pass through a country in which 
either the small-pox, or fever, or other disease, has prevailed, 
the idol is carried through the ranks, attended by the 
idol-keepers or priests, who offer him their prayers, and 
sprinkle holy-water on the troops, as a means of security 
against the infections to which they might be exposed. 
Whenever any pestilential disease breaks out in the vil¬ 
lages near the capital, or makes its appearance among the 
inhabitants of the latter, the people repair to the place 
of public resort; and when assembled, the idol is carried 
in a procession similar to that which attended it through 
the ranks of the army, and the people are all sprinkled 
with holy-water in the name of Ramahavaly, and afterwards 
return to their respective habitations, assuring themselves 
of security from disease, until some neglect of enjoined 
observances, some offence against the evil spirit, or offering 
to the sorcerers, should expose them to relentless ven¬ 
geance and destruction. 
l. 
Q 
