272 VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. chap. x. 



superiors, and apparently much to their own amusement and 

 that of the men engaged in the courtyard about the packages, 

 were cutting the cloth and arranging the palanquin, a friendly 

 chief of the village, who came to take leave of me, noticing 

 my palanquin, said it was too small for so long a journey, 

 and offered a more commodious one of his own, which he 

 immediately had brought to the place. "WTien this arrived, 

 my fellow-travellers all pronounced it much more convenient 

 than the one previously provided. I thankfully accepted it ; 

 and the needlewomen, when they found that the governor's 

 palanquin was not likely to be used, discontinued their 

 stitching, and returned to their dwellings. 



