CHAP. X. 
NATIVE MUSICIANS AND MUSIC. 
255 
of tomtoms, or native drums, and a rude sort of singing, with 
but little intermission, from soon after sunset until midnight, 
especially at the low houses at which native arrack was sold. 
Besides this, a house on the outside of the fence enclosing that 
in which I resided seemed to be the abode of a company of 
musicians, who with drums, fifes, tambourines, clarionets, and 
triangles, or, exchanging these for two or three violins, 
gathered within and around their dwelling a considerable 
crowd throughout the early part of the night. By daybreak 
in the morning the drums or violins of my neighbours were 
also in frequent requisition; and few were the hours of the 
day excepting those of extreme heat during which their 
music was not heard. A number of strangers who came 
to my house on the following day earnestly inquired whether 
I had any violins for sale, and this instrument appeared to 
have become quite popular among certain classes of the people 
since my visits in 1853 and 1854. 
On the second day after my arrival I accompanied a chief 
to the residence of one of the officers of the port. On en¬ 
tering his house, the walls and floor of which were neatly 
covered with mats, we found him sitting in an arm-chair, his 
spear and round wooden shield covered with bullock’s hide 
hanging on the wall behind him. Two or three chiefs were 
standing on one side of him, and his wife, and her sister, and a 
female assistant sitting on the other ; and on the opposite side 
of the room half a dozen Malagasy musicians, some in native 
costume, others in shirts and trowsers, all sitting on the floor, one 
thrumming the native valiha, and the rest scraping the violin 
with great earnestness, beating time all the while with their 
heels on the floor. They ceased soon after we had entered ; but 
while we were talking, an officer from the governor approached, 
and as soon as he was announced the natives commenced their 
music, which they continued until after he was seated; and 
when he rose to depart they began again, and continued as 
