HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
459 
The general name is fampindana, “ drinking.” It is also 
called, “ misotro tangena,” to drink the tangena. The tan- 
gena is literally a fruit, deriving its name from the tree 
which bears it. It is a nut about the size of an English 
horse-chestnut. It grows abundantly in the island. It 
appears to be a most powerful poison, but if taken in 
small doses only, sometimes operates simply as an emetic, 
which is in fact the mode of its employment in the ordeal 
now to be described. The natives believe it to be poison¬ 
ous, and hence it is reported that they have endeavoured 
by throwing it into the water used for drinking, to poison 
those whom they wished to destroy. 
Many affirm, that “the lust of money” is at the root of 
this custom, and certainly so much wealth accrues at those 
periods to the persons concerned in laying accusations and 
administering the poison, that this idea does not appear des¬ 
titute of foundation. A dollar and sixty-three cents is the fee 
given for every individual who recovers, besides many per¬ 
quisites and private presents. One individual can administer 
the tangena to eight persons in one day; and when the 
accused dies, the officiating person receives a twenty-fourth 
part of the whole property not bequeathed before the accu¬ 
sation. The diviners also reap a large harvest from these 
iniquitous practices; they attend daily for eight or ten days 
before and after the drinking takes place, and receive one 
dollar or more according to the wealth of the accused. 
The whole system is characterized by the most heartless 
cruelty. One of the officers accused in 1831 was ac¬ 
tually watching the corpse of his father when the appointed 
person knocked at his door. He begged to be excused till 
after the funeral, declaring that he only asked a few days’ 
delay, not exemption; none, however, could be granted, 
