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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