270 VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. chap. x. 



purpose of proceeding in company with me to the capital, so 

 that my party seemed likely to be much larger than I had 

 expected. 



The only roads in Madagascar are those made by naked 

 native feet and bullocks' hoofs. No wheel carriages or pack 

 oxen are used by the natives, and as no lakes or rivers admit 

 of water carriage, except to a limited extent, all goods are 

 conveyed from one part of the country to another on men's 

 shoulders. The governor had informed me it was the queen's 

 order that all my packages should be carried to the capital 

 by her people, and a hundred men, a much larger number 

 than I at that time thought needful, were appointed to this 

 service. At my own request, however, I engaged a dozen 

 bearers to carry my palanquin, cooking apparatus, &c., to 

 whom I promised payment in money, as well as provisions by 

 the way. One or two of them afterwards manifesting some 

 misgivings as to whether they might not be included in the 

 government arrangement, and thereby lose the promised 

 payment, they came to me to inquire, accompanied by the 

 interpreter, whom I heard telling them, " English always pay 

 what they say. This one Englishman he sure to pay ; " and 

 on my repeating to them the promise that whatever any 

 other person might give them, I would certainly pay each 

 man the stipulated sum at the end of the journey, they 

 appeared delighted at the prospect of seeing the capital, and 

 obtaining so much money. 



By daybreak, on the last day I was to spend at Tamatave, 

 several Betsimasaraka chiefs came to apportion the packages 

 amongst the bearers. WTien the packages were sufficiently 

 small and light, two were given to one man, who tied them 

 to the ends of a thick bamboo cane, to be carried across his 

 shoulder. The larger boxes were fastened to poles, and 

 carried between two, or even four bearers. In scrambling, 

 and almost fighting, for the smallest packages, some of the 



