238 INTERESTED PUBLIC 



mist and heavy drizzle, as there had been all night. The general 

 public outside, however, evidently thought it high time the 

 exhibition opened for a morning performance ; and so, with- 

 out our intending it, there was a performance, which, if there 

 had been a daily paper at lolomaka, might have been described 

 as consisting of five acts or scenes, as follows : Scene first : 

 Distinguished foreigners are seen lying in bed, so comfortably 

 tucked up that they feel most unwilling to get out on to the 

 wet and muddy floor. Curtains only half drawn (by an eager 

 public) during this act. Scene second : Somewhat of a mis- 

 nomer, as D. F. were, by the exercise of some ingenuity, not 

 seen during the operations of bathing and washing. Scene 

 third : D. F. seen by admiring public who again admitted 

 themselves in the act of brushing their hair and performing 

 their toilet. Scene fourth : D. F. seen at their breakfast ; the 

 variety of their food, dishes, plates, etc., a subject of mute 

 amazement. Scene fifth and last : D. F. seen rapidly packing 

 up all their property for their approaching departure. N.B. 

 Probably their last appearance on this stage. We packed up 

 in the heavy drizzle, and fortunately, just as we were about 

 to start, three or four Tanala came up and agreed to be our 

 guides. We had to wait until they had their rice, but at last 

 we got away, soon after ten o'clock, rather too late as it turned 

 out. 



Our way for more than two hours was through the outskirts 

 of the forest : a succession of low hills partially covered with 

 wood, and divided from each other by swampy valleys. In 

 these we had two or three times to cross deepish streams by 

 bridges of a single round pole, a foot or two under water, a 

 ticklish proceeding, which all our luggage bearers did not accom- 

 plish successfully. After crossing a stream by the primitive 

 bridge of a tree which had fallen half over the water, we 

 entered the real forest, our general direction being to the 

 south-east. 



And now for an hour and a half we had to pass through dense 

 forest by a narrow footpath, where no filanjdna (palanquin) 

 could be carried (at least with its owner seated on it). Up and 

 down, down and up, stooping under fallen trees, or climbing 

 over them, soon getting wet through with the dripping leaves on 

 either hand, and the mud and water underfoot we had little 



