HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
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covered by a large upright block of stone, which is removed 
when a corpse is taken in, and fixed in its former position 
at the termination of the ceremony. Small native fans 
(fikopana) are used in driving insects from the corpse 
while it remains in the house, and on the road to the 
grave; these are left stuck in the earth over the grave. 
High poles are fixed in the earth around the grave, and 
the horns of the bullocks killed at the interment, are 
suspended on the tops of the poles, to indicate the wealth 
of the family, or the value of the tribute thus rendered 
by survivors to the memory of the departed. 
In some cases the horns are stuck in the earth at the 
corners of the tomb, or fixed in the form of a fence in the 
earth round the edge of the parapet. This is considered 
