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OF AN EXPEDITION TO MADAGASCAR. 63 
and below it, running south, the river after which it is named. It 
is in this river (Ranu, water, mafana, hot) that the hot springs 
are found. As the hot current jets from the river-bottom below 
2 feet of rapidly flowing spring-water, it is difficult to estimate the 
temperature by the thermometer. One jet is at a shallow part of 
the stream, and the heated water which was projected to the sur- 
face raised the thermometer at once to 160? Fahr. The foot or 
hand placed within reach of the jet felt scalded, and was instantly 
and involuntarily withdrawn. I counted five springs whilst walk- 
ing across the stream ; they are conspicuous by the bubbling of the 
water from escape of gas. Hearing that former visitors had found 
some difficulty in procuring the hot water by a jug or bottle, I 
used a bamboo for the purpose, first making a small hole at one 
end, which was stopped till the mouth covered well the spot from 
which the water issued ; and I obtained, I believe, a good sample 
of it. The water had a faint smell, slight alkaline reaction, and in- 
sipid taste; a dollar, previously brightened on the sand, being 
dropped into the bamboo, was found completely blackened on ex- 
amination two days subsequently. 
From this river the eountry becomes more wooded, and on the 
third day's journey from the sea we enter the forest, after crossing 
many streams, and now meet with tree-ferns and several creeping 
ones. The road continues over tenacious yellow and red clay, 
studded here and there with quartz; and the river-beds are of 
sandstone, pebbles, and quartz. Floatingin the less rapid streams 
were sometimes found the flowering stalks of the Ouvirandra 
Jenestralis ; but it was most abundant in the Ranomafain River, 
near the hot springs. I may mention that I collected some shells 
in the hot springs—a species of Melania: some were alive, but 
most dead, probably boiled. In the streams by the coast I saw 
small specimens of Pistia stratiotes, but not after leaving the coast. 
The Arums continue, and line the river-banks of this part of the 
country. Conspicuous on the banks of some of the rivers, and 
seen in many marshes, was a Crinum with large white flowers, 
sweet-scented: native name Kingass. That part of the country 
in which the woods first passed through are situated has the most 
prolific vegetation. There is a redundance of lichens, mosses, 
and ferns—all the older and larger trees being covered with all 
three. One lichen in partieular abounds in every wood, and hangs 
from most of the larger trees ; it resembles the Roccella fuciformis 
of the Zambesi and East Africa. From these woods is obtained 
Some of the timber used in house-building, and brought down to 
