330 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
clothes are spread out to dry in the sun, and in this 
manner are beautifully blanched. They are then neatly 
folded, taken home, and laid in the wardrobe, (a box or 
basket,) where they remain ready for use. 
A description of the occupations of a day in Madagascar 
may serve to illustrate still more minutely the general 
habits and manners of the people. 
The Malagasy rise early; and in order to do this, it is 
customary to have a cock roosting in the south-east corner 
of the house, that he may give warning of the first ap¬ 
proach of the morning. He first crows about three o’clock, 
which is much too early to begin the occupations of the 
day in a country where there is but little twilight, and 
where the sun does not rise before six. He repeats his 
call, however, about five, when, if any doubt should exist 
as to the actual dawn of day, the master of the house 
or one of his slaves opens the door, and, after glancing 
towards the eastern horizon, exclaims, “It is morning.” 
The necessity for doing this, arises from the circumstance 
of the house having no glass windows, and being therefore 
entirely dark, except where a ray of light is admitted by 
an accidental crevice. The door has no other fastening 
than a piece of stick, about four inches in length, stuck 
in like a wedge at the bottom, or let into a small groove 
made for that purpose. 
As soon as the family has risen, the master, and other 
members of the household, squat themselves down beside 
the fire-place, or outside the building, and stretching out 
their naked arms, call to a slave to bring them water. A 
slave then advances, carrying in his left hand an empty 
pitcher, and in his right a zingia, or bullock’s horn, with 
a stick fixed into it for a handle. This is filled with water, 
which he pours upon the hands of his master, who rubs 
