230 VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. chap. ix. 



of their hymns with their peculiarly soft melodious voices. 

 The sound at a short distance produced an exceedingly 

 pleasiDg effect, and by the time we reached the place where 

 they were standing they had commenced singing in our 

 language the English hymn of which the concluding stanza 

 is — 



" There we shall meet to part no more. 

 O, that will be joyful," &c. 



When they ceased we alighted, shook hands with them, and 

 parted, not without emotion, which some were unable to 

 conceal. They silently returned to the village, and we 

 pursued our way through the same beautiful and fertile 

 country. 



The low hills and hollows were here covered with wood. 

 The grass by the sides of the road was in some parts two feet 

 high, the soil rich loam, occasionally many feet deep. On 

 our route we passed the Mancazana mountain and stream. 

 Fort Armstrong taken by the Caffres, the lofty Chumie 

 mountains, and the still more lofty " Luheri high," or Graika's 

 hill, used as a beacon for Caffreland during the late war. 

 Some parts of the road were difficult, and just as we had 

 passed the Buxton river, the sides of which were steep, I got 

 out to walk, and, when a few yards in advance of our oxen, 

 saw a large snake in the middle of the road, which our men 

 soon killed. It was a puff adder, thick, and about two feet 

 long, and said to be very venomous. 



About dusk we reached Philipton, where we were gladly 

 welcomed by the daughters of the late Mr. Read, for whom 

 the people had erected a small and comfortable dwelling, 

 every building in the place having been destroyed during the 

 war. WTiile at tea the conversation turned upon snakes, 

 and our friends told us they were very numerous ; that re- 

 cently the wife of one of the people, awaking in the night, 

 felt something on her arm, which she took hold of, thinking 



