CHAPTER XXI 



THE SOUTH-EASTERN PEOPLES 



ON the Saturday afternoon we reached Ambahy, a large 

 village not far from the sea, with a ladodna or custom- 

 house. Here a detachment of military awaited our 

 arrival viz. four officers and two soldiers, but outside and inside 

 the stockade rather more than the usual amount of tedious 

 ceremony was gone through, which was, however, amusing as 

 well, from the absurd costume of many of the performers. 



On the Sunday, as my companion was still unwell, I took the 

 services entirely. The church was in the village on the other 

 side of the water, and in going over to service I had a sail for the 

 first time in a native-made built boat. These boats are here 

 called sdry, and are about thirty feet long by eight feet beam, 

 and easily carry fifty people. I examined with interest the con- 

 struction of the craft, for the planks, about eight inches broad, 

 were tied, not nailed together, by twisted cord of anivona palm 

 fibre, one of the toughest known vegetable substances, the holes 

 being plugged with hard wood. The seat boards came right 

 through the sides, so as to stiffen the whole, for there were no 

 ribs or framework. The seams were caulked with strips of 

 bamboo, loops of which also formed the rowlocks for large oars 

 of European shape. The ends of the boat curved upwards con- 

 siderably, and from its appearance it seemed likely to stand 

 a heavy sea with perfect safety. These boats are made for 

 going out to the shipping, for no dug-out canoe could live in 

 the great waves constantly rolling along these shores. 



From Ambahy northwards there stretches a coral reef at a 

 mile or two's distance from the beach, a white line of surf 

 constantly breaking over it. Along this part of the coast the 

 vegetation of pandanus is varied by a number of the tall grace- 

 ful fildo-trees (casuarina), so common south of Tamatave. It 

 was dusk before all the baggage and our men were ferried 

 over a small river, and as I was the last I had a most unpleasant 



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