OHAP.XIY. 
THE SAKALAYA WAR-DANCE. 
399 
The dancing was commenced by the Sakalavas, inhabitants 
of the western parts of the island. The Sakalava band of 
native instruments included a large drum hollowed out of a 
solid piece of wood, with several smaller ones, and tomtoms 
or tambourines, apparently of Asiatic origin, the drum exactly 
resembling those I had seen in Ceylon. Four men arrayed 
as warriors, wearing singularly-shaped scarlet caps, having a 
broad scarlet lappet hanging down behind, with muskets in 
their hands, and powder horns slung at their sides, and the 
Malagasy ornament or charm of silver crocodile’s teeth fast¬ 
ened in front of their girdles or sashes, followed this band, led 
by a sort of chief whose business seemed to be to indicate the 
movements of the dance. The dancers were tall, light-made 
men. Commencing their performance as soon as they en¬ 
tered the court, they continued passing from side to side of 
the open space in the centre, making a sort of zigzag course 
until they came immediately in front of the queen. The 
musician then gave three or four loud strokes on the large 
drum, while the dancers bowed before her majesty, and then 
retired to the side. 
These were followed by four or five other sets of Sakalava 
dancers of four each, who, entering by the gate, danced along 
each party with a different figure or step until they came 
before the queen, when they bowed and retired. In addition 
to the musket in the right hand, one or two of the sets held 
a silk handkerchief or small scarf in the left. Their move¬ 
ments were light and easy; but for the most part measured 
and slow, except in those passages which appeared designed 
to represent the more exciting movements of battle, the 
assault, the strife, the pursuit, and the triumph. There was 
no shouting, and even these movements, though the muskets 
were sometimes thrown up in the air and caught as they fell, 
were restrained and moderate, according but little with the 
ideas we are accustomed to associate with the war-dance of 
