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Page 356
“...born was much addicted to the game of fanorona* (a native game
resembling 'fox and geese'), and when his father's messenger came he
was deeply engrossed in the problem of how to 'cancel three with five,'
and was in no hurry to go and see his dying father; while the younger
brother, on the other hand, made all haste to his bedside. The father
meanwhile, having consulted the diviners, had determined that he who
first arrived should succeed him in the throne ; so he had, though
reluctantly, to nominate the younger son as his successor. But in
consequence of this it was decreed that henceforth the reigning sovereign
should always choose his first wife from among the descendants of
Andriantompokoindrindra; and it appears that until quite recently
this practice was still kept up. Many of the Andriana of this class
live at the town of Amb6himaliza, some six miles to the east of the
Capital, and are still remarkable for their skill in the game of fanorona.
(4, 5, and 6) The remaining divisions...”
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