396 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
every clan has its idol. Every house also, and family, its 
own object of veneration and confidence, which, in a limited 
sense, may be regarded as an idol, but is more properly 
called ody, or 44 charm,” and which seems to correspond 
with the teraphim of the Old Testament, and the penates 
of the ancients. Not only does each household contain 
its ody, but to a great extent each individual has his own; 
and sometimes one individual has many, and wears them 
about his person. Crocodile’s teeth are worn by many as 
receptacles of their ody, in which they put their trust, in 
sickness and health, in life and death. 
In passing through Madagascar, the traveller may ob¬ 
serve a few villages scattered here and there, which are 
esteemed by the people, Masina, or sacred: admission to 
these is prohibited to some tribes of the natives, as well 
as to many animals and articles of food and merchandise. 
On inquiring the reason of this distinction, it is discovered 
that in these villages an idol is kept in some ordinary 
house without any priesthood or worshippers. The man 
in whose house the idol is kept, issues its pretended orders, 
and answers all applications made to it. This man is 
often assisted by others, and in some instances the whole 
of the villagers, or clan of a district, are considered as pro¬ 
tectors or adherents of the idol. The owner of the idol- 
house is called mpitahiry, or 44 keeper,” and mpitondra, or 
44 carrierthe former in relation to his preserving the idol 
in his house, and the latter to his carrying it forth at 
public processions. If the clan or villagers accompany 
the idol in procession, they are called momba, or adherents. 
The origin of the national idols, so far as it can be 
traced, will be specified under their respective names. 
The whole system appears to have sprung up in compa¬ 
ratively modern times, and long subsequently to the preva- 
