464 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
brought back, his bead being covered with a mat. The 
sikidy decides in what house he is to drink the tangena, and 
how he is to enter, whether by the door, the window, the 
roof, or by cutting away some of the rushes of which the sides 
of the house are constructed. 
During this time some of the voanjo retire, and fetch two 
chickens and a fowl; the former in order to try the quality 
of the tangena, and the latter to be killed, from which three 
pieces of skin are to be presently swallowed by the accused. 
A quantity of rice is also cooked, of which the accused 
must eat plentifully. This is called the lafikia, or “ bed.” 
Rice-water is also prepared, the water of which must be 
obtained from a running stream. During the admini¬ 
stration, no one is allowed to sit on his lamba (long robe,) 
nor to wear the sarandrana (cloth round the waist,) and 
females must keep their shoulders uncovered. 
The “ cursers” bring the tangena, suspended in a small 
bag, at the point of a spear, and saying, “ We are here, that 
he who would bewitch shall be confounded and perish; judg¬ 
ment shall enter,—accursed and without progeny shall be 
the mamosavy, and let the malediction return home on the 
head of him that bewitched him.” 
The accused, having eaten as much rice as possible, 
swallows three pieces of the skin of a fowl killed for the 
purpose, each piece about the size of a dollar, and swallowed 
whole. A bite would be fatal evidence of being bewitched. 
Three spoonsful of rice are taken with each. 
The “ cursers” now prepare the tangena, scraping a small 
quantity of the nut into some juice of a banana, and repeating 
the mysterious, talismanic words, “Tomadi mariko.” The 
virtue of the tangena is tried on two chickens before being 
given to the accused person. One of the chickens having 
been made to swallow it, the fi< curser” exclaims, <c Hear, oh 
