HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
407 
sometimes carried to the towns and villages, to avert the 
evil when general sickness is apprehended. A striking 
instance of faith in this idol occurred in 1826, at Tana¬ 
narive. A very extensive, and, in many instances, fatal 
malady prevailed, both in the capital and in the neighbour¬ 
ing villages. Application was therefore made to Ramalia- 
valy, and he was brought to Tananarivo, where crowds of 
people collected from all parts of the adjoining country. 
The guardians of the idol having taken their station, the 
people, with their shoulders uncovered, advanced in succes¬ 
sive bodies of about 300 each, while one of the guardians, 
acting the part of priest, took a horn filled with honied 
water, and sprinkled the people as they passed in lines be¬ 
fore him. All were grave and serious during the ceremony, 
after which they retired without noise or talking; a mode 
of leaving their assemblies widely different from that 
observed on all other occasions. 
During the act of sprinkling the idol, the guardian assured 
the people of safety from the impending calamity in the 
following words:— 44 Take courage—you, your wives, and 
your children. You have Ramahavaly—take courage for 
yourselves and your property. He is the preserver of life ; 
and, should diseases invade, he will suddenly arrest them, 
and prevent them coming near to injure you.” 
This ceremony is called Miafana; which signifies, 44 to 
avert;” and the water sprinkled on the occasion is called 
Ranonafana— 44 water of averting.” A ceremony of this kind 
takes place almost every year at the capital. 
Great is the renown of the idol Ramahavaly. He is 
sometimes described as god, sacred, powerful, and almighty ; 
who kills, and makes alive; who heals the sick, and pre¬ 
vents diseases and pestilence; who can cause thunder and 
lightning to strike their victims, or prevent their fatality; 
