OF AN EXPEDITION TO MADAGASCAR. 01 
Vacoa, and the Filhao tree. The Vacoa forms a thick, strong 
barrier against sand-drift, and is planted by the natives around 
villages by the sea with this intent. It forms a more complete 
barrier than the Hottentot Fig at the Cape. 
Several species of Aloes grow in the same locality, a Zamia 
and the Brexiads before mentioned, also a Laurel-looking shrub 
with bunches of white berries. A Cytisus rising to 6 feet flou- 
rishes here, and is again met with on the red-clay hills near the 
capital, but not on the road between. 
I have sent a specimen of the sand taken from the border of a 
brackish lake by the sea, It is found also inland by the rivers. 
It stains the hand black. It is very heavy, and full of shining 
particles like pulverized plumbago. 
From Andovorant we leave the sea, take canoes up a lake for 
8 or 10 miles to reach the first village of the ascent, and from 
the road being hitherto of sand it changes to fine yellow clay 
composing the banks of the lake, superimposed on which is a 
layer of loam, in which were growing, at the time we passed, some 
very good sugar-cane and Gossypium: there is only one species 
of cotton in the south; it is coarse, and of short staple. On 
either side of the lake are rising hills, the ravines between which 
are filled with Bamboo and Ravenala, the Traveller’s Tree. This 
tree is met with here for the first time on the road, and is the 
companion of the traveller for 130 miles after leaving the coast, 
being lost sight of after reaching an elevation of about 2500 feet. 
It has been thought, by some gentlemen at Mauritius who have 
visited Madagascar, that Mr. Ellis was mistaken when he said that 
some of these trees rose to 30 feet in height. During our return 
journey from the capital the Bishop of Mauritius and I observed 
several of this altitude, and one, in a ravine near Ampassimbi 
(a village about 2000 feet above the sea), at least 40 feet high. 
At the end of the lake a canal is entered, passing through paddy- 
fields of fine rice; and at this part the banks were covered with 
ferns and the Stag's-horn moss: the Arums described by Mr. Ellis 
are, as he says, gigantic, and line each side of the lakes and canals. 
Overhanging the canal were several of the Astrapea Wallichii in 
flower; a myrtle ; the “ Jambrosin”’ (the same found at Mauritius, 
with the same name, fruit edible) ; and an Erythrina with heads 
of scarlet flowers “like bunches of French-bean flowers,” 40 to 
50 feet high, with a trunk 4 feet in circumference, and wide- 
spreading branches—native name “ Asamboion.” On the banks 
too are several brilliant Convolvuli, the Mucuna pruriens, a P oly- 
