249 
dependencies. It is the most elevated district of the whole 
of this vast island, and, for the same reason, also the healthiest, 
being the only part where the life of an European is not in 
hazard. All the face of the country is covered with moun- 
tains, which are generally sterile, and on which are. great 
masses of rock: from this circumstance, there is none of the 
dangerous fever that prevails near the coast, and periodical 
maladies are unknown. Fertility of soil cannot, however, be 
enumerated among the advantages of this district; it is more 
barren than the maritime provinces, particularly those lying 
towards the west. The soil that is reddish, and full of 
stones, produces but little; the want of good culture, and the 
disadvantages of climate, contributing to increase its natural 
sterility. Five months only of the year can be employed in 
agriculture, as a distressing drought prevails in the remainder, 
especially from the end of April to September. At this sea- 
son, also, it is very cold in the mornings, owing to a dry wind 
which blows from the east, and only ceases at the end of 
September, when the thermometer often drops to '7°X°. All 
vegetation is parched and dried up, not a drop of rain falls, 
though this is partly compensated by a heavy fog, which 
nightly envelops the mountains, and is precipated to the 
earth on the rising of the sun. But from October to 
the end of March, the heat increases and becomes some- 
times excessive; rain falls daily, beginning in the after- 
noon and lasting all night, often so violently as to tear up 
the soil and carry away the trees, hills, and even the rocks. 
This is also the season of storms, and often accompanied 
with dreadful hurricanes, of which it is difficult to imagine 
the violence, and impossible to withstand the fury. Destruc- 
tion and tumult mark their progress; earthquakes occasion- 
ally take place, though not of a violent description ; and hail- 
stones, of enormous size, fall, which are much dreaded by 
the inhabitants on account of their rice, that is pamp above 
ground at that period. ' 
Agriculture is very carelessly performed at- Emèritia; as 
in the other parts of Madagascar. : The natives are too in- 
dolent, and they leave almost every thing to nature. Con- 
