RICHES OF THE COUNTRY 57 



forms in tropical vegetation than the bamboo, which unites the 

 most perfect symmetry and bright colour, and in some places 

 a particular species 2 gave quite a special character to the scenery. 

 The long elastic stems, thirty or forty feet in length, three inches 

 or more in diameter at the base, and tapering to a fine point, 

 were curving over the path in every direction, and with their 

 feathery whorls of leaves, yellowish-green in colour, growing 

 from every joint, were a constant delight to the eye. Some- 

 times a whole valley seemed filled with bamboos ; while in 

 others the rojia palm and the tree-ferns were the prevailing 

 forms. 



Our midday journey this day was a continual ascent, until 

 we were evidently at a considerable elevation above the sea. 

 From one ridge we had a most extensive prospect and could see 

 the Indian Ocean fifty or sixty miles behind us, while before us 

 was a yet higher chain of hills, dark with dense woods of the 

 main line of forest. As we rode along, I could not but observe 

 the capabilities of the country and its vast powers of production, 

 were it brought extensively under cultivation. The country is 

 rich also in mineral wealth iron, gold, copper, and other metals, 

 as well as graphite and probably also petroleum. 



We came this day into a belt of tree-ferns, some of large size, 

 with their great graceful fronds arranged horizontally in a circle 

 round the top of the trunk. There were also numbers of pine- 

 apples growing wild, with the magnificent scarlet flowers just 

 developing into fruit. We descended to, crossed, and for some 

 time went along a beautiful river, resembling in many parts 

 the Dove at Dovedale, and in others the Wharfe at Bolton. 

 The view from the top of'an immense hill of the river winding 

 far below was most charming. The paths by which we ascended 

 and descended would have astonished us in England, but by 

 this time a moderately level and smooth path had become an 

 object of surprise. In some places there was only a narrow 

 passage between rocks overhung with vegetation, most pictur- 

 esque, but most difficult to travel by. 



We got in early in the afternoon to Ampasimbe, a rather 

 large village. While waiting for dinner we watched the women 

 at the opposite house preparing the material from which they 

 make the rofia cloths, called rabannas in Mauritius. It is the 

 inner fibre of the long glass-like leaves of the ro/ia-palm. 3 The 



