1981, ISBN: 9781236623409

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustra… More...

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1872 edition. Excerpt: ... engaged in making a bargain, and at the same time to join in the discussion, and offer their own opinions. The high relative value of money may be seen by the minute fractions into which a dollar is divided. In each dollar there are eight sikajy (about sixpence); each sikajy is divided into nine eranambatra, and each eranambatra into ten varyventy, or the weight of a plump grain of rice; so that a dollar is divided into 720 parts. Yet even these, as it might seem to us, inappreciably small sums will purchase a certain quantity of some kinds of food; and as field labour is paid for only at the rate of from twopence to fourpence a day, and skilled artisans receive only from fourpence to eightpence a day, the relation between the price of provisions and the scale of wages is not very disproportionate. The necessaries of life are certainly more easily procured by the very poor in Madagascar than in England. Four weights marked with a government stamp are used in weighing money: the loso, or half-dollar; the Mrbbo, quarter-dollar or shilling; the sikajy, or sixpence; and the roa-vaomena, equal to fourpence. Other amounts are obtained by varying these in the opposite scales, and adding grains of rice. During the short reign of Eadama II., which at first promised so much for the material advancement of the country, it was intended to issue a national coinage; and a beautiful profile was taken of the King's head by Mr. Ellis for the dies. Like many other projects, this was abandoned at Eadama's death; but it is probable that the intention will soon be resumed, now that the country is opened to European enterprise, and commercial treaties have been concluded with England, France, and the United States of America. CHAPTER XXXVIII. KAMTSCHATKA. After the... Weight:0.41 lbs, RareBooksClub.com, 7/4/2012 0:00:00<