HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
229 
cient quantity of blood has been discharged. Whether 
this practice is one of their own inventions, or merely an 
imitation of cupping which they have seen practised by 
Europeans, is not known; it is a last resort, and whatever 
benefits it may be supposed to confer, its application to any 
whose lives are considered of importance, excites the most 
painful alarm. In illustration of this, the following occur¬ 
rence, which took place shortly after the arrival of the first 
Missionaries, may be adduced. 
In the year 1820 , when Mr. Jones was residing at the 
capital, Radarna fell from his horse, and, though not 
seriously injured, great confusion prevailed among the at¬ 
tendants on the king’s person, and the inmates of the palace. 
The domestics ran for the Missionary, but were all too much 
alarmed to state what they wanted, or do more than inform 
him that the king was injured, and perhaps dying. 
Mr. Jones followed them, and entered the palace, where the 
king was lying on the floor, his face and neck being 
covered with blood. Fearing the worst consequence from 
the loss of royal blood, especially if the supply was not 
kept up, a number of live fowls were brought, and some of 
the attendants were busily employed in cutting off the heads 
of the fowls, and pouring the blood from their decapitated 
trunks into the king’s mouth; others were making loud 
lamentations, embracing and kissing his feet; and others 
were fanning him, and wailing over him as already dead. 
Mr. Jones recommended their not adding any more blood 
from the fowls, and proposed, instead, to take some from the 
king. Violently opposing this, the attendants exclaimed, 
“ What! take away more blood, when the king has lost 
so much already ? no—let the sikidy be consulted.” The 
king, though feeble, heard what was going on; and such 
was his confidence in the Missionary, that he said, in 
