HOT STREAMS 53 



ing the edge of the central highland, and covered with dense 

 forest in every part. The scene, but for the tropical trees, 

 resembled the Lancashire and West Riding scenery, along the 

 Todmorden valley. As far as I could make out, the hills ap- 

 peared to be mostly of bright clay, interspersed with quartz. 

 Great black masses of gneiss rock crop out on the sides of many 

 of them in most curious, fantastic shapes. 



On the east coast and for some way westward there is no 

 distinct rainy season, as in the interior of Madagascar ; it rains 

 more or less all through the year. The temperature did not 

 exceed that of warm summer days in England, with cool 

 mornings and evenings. We reached Ranomafana as it was 

 getting dusk, my lads bringing me in, as usual, at a smart trot, 

 after doing fifteen or sixteen miles in less than four hours. The 

 name of this village means " hot waters," and is derived from 

 some hot springs which bubble up in a small stream not far 

 from the houses. The water close to this spot is too hot to 

 touch with the hand or foot ; but as it mingles with the cold 

 river water it soon becomes tepid, and I found that in wading 

 in the stream I could have any degree of heat or cold as I 

 chose. Many people come to bathe in these hot waters, and 

 find benefit in certain complaints. 



At this place I procured specimens of that remarkable 

 vegetable production, the lace-leaf plant, or water yam 

 (Ouvirandra fenestralis). The existence of this plant had long 

 been known to botanists, but it was introduced into Europe by 

 the Rev. W. Ellis after his first visit to Madagascar (1853-1854) ; 

 and from plants brought by him to England it was propagated, 

 and specimens were sent to many of the chief botanical collec- 

 tions, as well as to Kew, Chiswick and the Crystal Palace. I 

 knew of this plant being abundant in some of the streams on the 

 east side of the island, and I therefore described it as well as I 

 could to one of my bearers. A little time after our arrival at the 

 village he brought me three or four plants, together with the 

 roots, and in one case with the flower also attached. The 

 leaves were from six to eight inches long and an inch and a half 

 wide ; but I afterwards found at Mauritius that they grew to 

 more than double this size in the Royal Gardens at Pample- 

 mouses. 



As the name implies, the leaf is like a piece of lace-work, or, 



