POPULATION 
79 
stakes which allow the water during the tropical rains 
to pass under them to the depth of 20 inches. The 
roof is supported by several strong wooden poles. The 
panels of the house walls are formed of the bar-shaped, 
very tough mid-ribs of the raphia palm, as are also the 
palisades enclosing the space which usually surrounds the 
house. Windows are not introduced at all; the some¬ 
what large entrance door, constructed of the same mat¬ 
erial, turns on two hinges of cord. When the owner 
goes out, a padlock is placed on the door or a staff is 
leant against it to indicate that the house is not to be 
entered. The roofs are less steep than in the Hova 
houses, and the gables are never adorned with house 
horns. The roofing consists of the leaves of the raven- 
ala, which afford excellent protection against the rain. 
An open veranda is often built on to the house proper. 
In the courtyard, which is shut off by a tolerably high 
paling, stand the heavy wooden pestle and mortar for 
pounding rice. It is the business of the women to look 
after the rice pounding, which generally begins at ten 
o’clock in the morning and is resumed at two in the 
afternoon. The arrangement_of the interior of the dwel¬ 
ling naturally depends on the pecuniary position of the 
owner, the well-to-do Sakalava fitting out their domestic 
arrangements in a tasteful manner which gave me much 
pleasure. Dwelling-rooms and sleeping-rooms are sep¬ 
arated: the interior walls are hung with coloured cloths 
as is also the divan which is used for repose. Fans 
obtained from the Arab traders hang on the walls; 
cups, drinking-glasses, and porcelain vessels stand about, 
and they have a great fancy for collecting empty 
bottles. The women make a special point of storing 
up in the sleeping place as many pillows as possible. 
These are long and narrow and are covered with cot¬ 
ton or even with silk. In one house I counted no less 
than sixteen pillows one above another. Some looking- 
