HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
339 
ships to India, generally to Bombay or Surat, for a further 
supply. Those remaining at the capital have usually 
opened a house for the sale of their goods, and employed 
the natives to carry their articles through the city and 
neighbourhood for sale. Though they went to see the 
Hova markets, yet they confined the sale of their goods to 
their own houses, or to the natives whom they employed 
as hucksters. They generally brought silk, Indian shawls, 
white cloth, beads, precious stones, and necklaces. 
Americans have sometimes traded with the inhabitants 
of Mojanga for hides, beef, and gums, giving in exchange 
cloth, muskets, powder, swords, hats, clothes, chairs, and 
cast-iron pots. 
In recent years the chief foreign trade has been with 
Mauritius, the Cape of Good Hope, England, and America. 
The proximity of Mauritius to Madagascar favours frequent 
intercourse, and a considerable trade is carried on between 
them, excepting during the unhealthy season on the coast 
of Madagascar. Large numbers of excellent cattle, and 
occasionally rice and dried fish, are sent from Tamatave, 
Vohimaro, and other ports, to Mauritius and Bourbon. 
The taste and habits of the Malagasy in favour of foreign 
commerce are increasing; they prefer articles of foreign 
manufacture to those made in their own country, excepting 
in those things in which they endeavour to imitate the 
works of their ancestors, viz., in the production of articles 
that are purely native, and are esteemed as such. During 
the reign of liadama, the articles of foreign manufacture 
in greatest demand, and for which the highest prices were 
paid, were horses, saddles and bridles, scarlet broad cloth, 
gold lace of various breadths, red satin, purple, green, and 
yellow silk, silk handkerchiefs, fine silk in skeins for mixing 
with their own in weaving the kasena, or green, purple, 
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