322 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
use no wheels for this purpose, but spin or twist the hemp, 
or other material of which their cordage is made, with the 
hand. Besides the native hemp, the bark of the hibiscus, 
and other native plants, and a species of long and tough 
grass, are used for these purposes by the natives; and their 
twine and cordage, which they use in the manufacture of 
fishing-nets and lines, in tying together the framework 
of their houses, and many of their articles of furniture, are 
both strong and durable. By the same process as that 
employed in making their smaller cords, they manufacture 
the large and strong ropes employed in dragging the im¬ 
mense stones they use in the construction of their tombs, 
and in conveying their largest timber from the forests to 
the capital. 
Numbers of the people, chiefly women, are also at times 
employed in making mats, which are used for beds, for 
covering the floors, or lining the walls of their houses; they 
are made of rushes, or fine grass, and are woven by the 
hand, after the manner of the South Sea islanders. Closely 
associated with this is the making of baskets, which are 
manufactured of the same materials, and are in very 
general use among the people. The baskets vary in size, 
the largest holding rather more than a bushel; in shape, 
they are usually round or square, and are seldom consi¬ 
dered completed until fitted with a cover. 
To the occupations already noticed, as recently intro¬ 
duced by the Missionary artisans, may be added the manu¬ 
facture of leather. 
It appears singular that the natives should never have 
thought of using the skins of their oxen for any other pur¬ 
pose than for making a rude sort of sandal, and covering 
their drums on the shields. In these instances the skin 
was used with the hair on, and nearly in the state in which 
