CANOE CHANTS 271 



hour and a half in the dark, floundering about in rice-fields and 

 water, for our guides lost their way, so that I thought we should 

 have to take shelter under some bush for the night. But at 

 last we reached a good-sized village ; two of our men, however, 

 got hopelessly astray and had to lie out all night in the open. 

 In the dark we several times thought we saw a lantern coming 

 to our aid, but it was only the beautiful little fireflies dancing 

 up and down in the bushes, a " will-o'-the-wisp " which de- 

 ceived us again and again. These flies do not give a continuous 

 light, but one which like some lighthouses is quenched every 

 second or two, the interval of darkness being loBger than the 

 time when the light is visible. 1 



We were delayed on our journey one day by having to return 

 and search for a man who had been missing for a day or more. 

 Leaving our stopping-place before six in the morning, I took 

 sixteen men, who were divided into three parties to go in different 

 directions. We did not find him, but discovered where he was, 

 and left him in charge of some Hova officers to be sent on after 

 us. I had two voyages over the Matitanana that day ; the 

 morning's sail was delightful, the water smooth as a mirror, 

 and with a very large canoe and eight or ten paddles we moved 

 rapidly over the glassy surface. My men began and sustained 

 for some time several of their musical and often amusing canoe 

 chants, in which one man keeps up a recitative, usually an 

 improvised strain, often bringing in circumstances recently 

 happening, while the rest chime in with a chorus at regular 

 intervals, a favourite one being, " E, misy va ? " (" Oh, is 

 there any ? "). This question refers to various good things they 

 hope to get at the end of the day's journey, such as plenty of 

 rice, beef, sweet potatoes, etc., these articles of food being 

 mentioned one after another by the leader of the song. A little 

 delicate flattery of their employer, the Englishman they are 

 rowing, is often introduced, and praises of his hoped-for gener- 

 osity in providing these luxuries for them, something in this 

 style : 



E, misy va ? Oh, is there any ? 



E, misy r6 I Oh yes, there's some ! 



E, ny vorontsiloza, zalahy, e ! Oh, the turkeys, lads, oh ! 



E, misy re ! Oh yes, there's some I 



E, ny gisy matavy, zalahy, e ! Oh, the plump-looking geese, lads.oh I 



