HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
257 
CHAP. X. 
Na tive expressions of thankfulness.—Different forms of salutation—Customs 
observed on the return of the sovereign to the capital—Prevalence of 
common swearing among the natives—.Their use of abusive language— 
Amusements of the Malagasy—Smoking—Feasting—Hunting wild cattle 
—Description of the mode of taking wild cattle, by Drury—Hunting the 
wild boar—Fishing—Mode of catching the crocodile—Games at kicking 
—Throwing at the target—The katra or drafts—Musical instruments— 
The lokanga and valiha, drums, fifes—Singing—Character of the songs— 
Specimens of native poetry—Song for the dead—Dress of the Malagasy 
—Materials of which it is composed—Manner of wearing it—The salaka 
— The kitamby—The lamba or mantle—Different kinds of lamba manu¬ 
factured by the natives—Coverings for the head—Native sandals— 
Articles of foreign manufacture used as clothing in Madagascar—Fond¬ 
ness of the natives for ornaments—Silver chains—Silver rings, beads, 
shells—Ornaments of ivory—Artificial flowers—Perfumes, native and 
foreign—Ornamenting the body with scars—Mode of dressing the 
hair—The European mode of wearing the hair, introduced by Radama 
—Tragical occurrence among the native females in consequence of the 
innovation. 
The prevailing character of a people is often more distinctly 
seen in their sports and pastimes than in their occupations: 
the latter they generally follow from necessity, the former 
always from choice; the latter is often in opposition to all 
their inclinations, the former is always in accordance with 
the spontaneous bent of their tastes and desires. There is 
also in general a striking resemblance between the habits 
and the amusements of nations: the amusements of the 
Malagasy, we are about to notice; and to them a few 
remarks on the mode of acknowledging favours, exchanging 
salutations, with other social customs, as the latter are often 
peculiar and characteristic, will form an appropriate intro¬ 
duction. 
i. 
s 
