AMBOHITROMBY 187 



of people, and the accustomed speech-making had to be gone 

 through. We then went into the chapel, a long, narrow and 

 low rush building, where the scholars and most of the women 

 were assembled. On going out of the chapel we were asked to 

 meet the chief people again to receive beef, rice, etc. This was 

 done with a formality and respect exceeding that shown on any 

 previous occasion. A mat was spread on an open space, on this 

 three chairs were placed for us, and in front of this, on another 

 mat, were arranged the provisions. Speech-making, compli- 

 ments and replies then followed as usual. 



After tiffin, and taking some compass observations, we left 

 Ambohitr6mby soon after twelve o'clock, keeping still along 

 the western shore of the plain, and several times crossing bays 

 which run westward between the hills. Here we had much 

 floundering about in the bog, and crossing of cranky wooden 

 bridges of the primitive single round-pole construction. We 

 passed Morarano and Morafeno, good-sized villages, but were 

 unable to stop at either place, as they were both a little way out 

 of the direct road, and we were pressed for time. The popula- 

 tion appeared considerable about this part of the plain, for there 

 were many other villages at no great distance, and a very large 

 extent of its margin was cultivated, the stacks of rice dotting 

 over the level surface for two or three miles to the eastward, 

 and for a long way north and south. After three or four hours' 

 walking and riding we turned to the north-east, crossing a great 

 bay formed by one of the long promontories which stretch into 

 the level from the north-west as well as from the south-east 

 shores of the plain. These have evidently in an earlier 

 (geological) period formed continuous lines of hills, for they do 

 not run hi the same direction as the main valley or depression 

 of the country, but cut it at an angle of about forty-five degrees 

 that is to say, while the general direction of the Antsihanaka 

 valley is north-north-east and south-south-west, the lines of hills 

 on either side have a bearing of north-north-west and south- 

 south-east. This is seen very distinctly in the map of the 

 district made on my return home : for many of the ridges seem 

 to be broken off more or less abruptly by the level ground, and 

 then to be continued on the other side of the plain. It seemed 

 impossible to avoid the conclusion that by some great con- 

 vulsion in long-past geologic ages a vast rent and depression 



