GREAT ARUMS 253 



unlucky days, but by some ceremonies and offerings avert the 

 evils supposed to be connected with them. 



A week's journey from Ivohitr6sa brought us to a Hova 

 military post again viz. to the town of Ambohipeno, which is 

 only a few miles from the mouth of the Matitanana river, and 

 is the central one of a line of three villages. Here we had a 

 hospitable reception from the governor and his officers, as well 

 as from the congregation and its pastor. Although the sea was 

 still some miles distant, we could distinctly hear the roar of the 

 surf some time before reaching Ambohipeno. On a voyage to 

 the seaside, which we made the day after our arrival, we had a 

 fine large canoe which had more sharply pointed stem and stern 

 than in those seen in Imerina. We were struck by the great 

 arums (viha) growing in thick masses along the banks in the 

 water. These were from twelve to fifteen feet high, with thick 

 fleshy stems and leaf-stalks, lily-like leaves, between two and 

 three feet long, and magnificent white flowers, with a scarlet 

 pistil. The fruit is occasionally used by the natives as an article 

 of food. We picked up some good shells (Turritellce, Cyprcea, 

 etc.) on the seashore, as well as corals, seaweed and sponges. 

 Like almost every river on the east coast, the mouth is closed by 

 a sand bar, until the rains of the wet season fill the river so full 

 that the bar is broken for a few weeks, and then the south-east 

 winds and currents close it up again. . 



The greater part of two days were spent at Ambohipeno in 

 services and school examinations, which latter were especially 

 interesting and satisfactory. We were amused by the decora- 

 tion of the pulpit in the native church, which was rather extra- 

 ordinary. It was a high box-like affair, part of the front being 

 occupied by a picture of a European ship, the other part by a 

 church with a tall tower and spire ; while over these was a text 

 (in Malagasy), " Says the owner of this house, Fear " ; although 

 it would be difficult to find the passage in this exact form. 

 These objects, together with birds perched on trees, made a 

 curious mixture of subjects for pulpit decoration. 



In the narrow lanes near the village we passed great numbers 

 and many varieties of butterflies in a few minutes' ride. Judg- 

 ing from what we saw, an entomologist would find a rich harvest 

 in the Taimoro country. Dr Vinson, a French naturalist who 

 came up to the capital in 1862, says : " The habits of the 



