216 VISITS TO MADAGASCAR chap, vii 



support from their hands. I was often struck during this 

 journey by the perfect ease with which a Hottentot woman 

 walked along with one hand resting on her hip, and the 

 other hanging by her side, and with a tall jar of water, full 

 to the brim, upon her head. 



Towards evening the cattle, horses, sheep, and goats were 

 driven home, generally lying for the night around the 

 waggons. When the herds were brought home, the fires 

 were kindled, and the evening meal prepared. After supper 

 the young people, white and coloured, amused themselves 

 together in some noisy boisterous game, frequently re- 

 presenting the exploits of hunting ; and by nine o'clock all 

 retired to rest. 



]My companion and I conformed to the customs of our 

 neighbours, so far as to take our meals in the same manner 

 and about the same time. The weather was fine, the evenings 

 pleasant, and, during the few days that we remained here, I 

 became quite reconciled to this out-of-doors life. In my 

 wanderings during the day I found, under the shelter of the 

 rocks in the neighbourhood, some beautiful ferns, among 

 them a new variety of Gleichenia and Platyloma calomelanos, 

 seed fructified fronds of which I was so fortunate as to secure 

 for the purpose of taking home. 



Having waited from Monday until Thursday, the 1st of 

 March, and seeing no immediate prospect of getting our 

 wasfcron over the river, we left it and crossed in a small 

 boat to the opposite side. Here we found a number of 

 persons detained, and among them a young bridegroom elect 

 on his way to be married. Soon after noon Mr. Solomon, the 

 missionary from Philippolis, arrived, and in the evening we 

 accompanied him on horseback to his station. The four 

 following days we passed at Philippolis, where we were much 

 gratified with the spirit and the general feeling manifested by 

 the people ; while, on our part, every endeavour was made to 



