454 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
sunrise, mid-day, sunset, midnight, and morning again, are 
all that are usually noticed. In cases requiring great exact¬ 
ness, minor and intermediate divisions are formed by means 
of the allotted portions to each of the four cardinal points, 
allowing six hours to each of those four points, and two 
hours to each of their subdivisions, thus— 
6 o’clock morning — sunrise — Alahamady vava 
„ „ vonto 
„ „ fara 
„ Asorotany vava 
„ „ vonto 
„ „ fara 
sunset Adimizana vava 
„ „ vonto 
„ „ fara 
„ Adijady vava 
„ „ vonto 
5 , „ ,, fara 
Then follows as above, sunrise, Alahamady 
vava. 
A person’s vintana , or destiny, is determined according 
to the day, or time of the day, in which he is born. If 
that happen to be unlucky, it, namely the day , is called 
mahery vintana , that is, “ powerful as to destinymeaning, 
“ too powerful for him ; he is its victim.” 
Some cases exist, in which, though the vintana is mahery , 
it may be extracted, (ala ny ny vintana,) or withdrawn, by 
means of an offering which averts evil, a “faditra.” Those 
who decide on this, are called “ mpanala vintana,”—extrac¬ 
tors of the destiny; and these form a distinct class from 
the mpanandro. All the latter are not necessarily mpanala 
vintana, but viceversa, all who understand how to “extract the 
evil fortune,” must understand the rules of the astrologer. 
8 
10 
12 
2 
4 
6 
8 
10 
12 
2 
4 
6 
mid-day 
afternoon 
„ evening 
midnight 
morning: 
