278 VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. cu.m xi. 



addicted to drinking, and that what should have furnished 

 provisions for the men, had been spent in arrack, I requested 

 Izaro, a friendly chief of our party, and one whom I thought 

 I could trust, to undertake the purchasing of food for the 

 bearers during the journey. This necessitated the numbering 

 of our company, that he might know for how many he had to 

 provide rice twice a day. I was a little startled when he 

 brought me the list, amounting to upwards of 109; but 

 being fully persuaded that an empty stomach would not make 

 a man's burden lighter, or in any way help him over the road, 

 I furnished Izaro with money, earnestly requesting him to 

 see that all the bearers of my packages were regularly sup- 

 plied with food. There were two vessels loading with rice at 

 Tamatave when we left ; and the demand for that article 

 being just now somewhat unusual, it was not at every village 

 in this neighbourhood that rice could be obtained. Manioc 

 of excellent quality, however, was abundant, and with this 

 the people were equally well satisfied. 



Again the rain fell heavily throughout the night ; but, as 

 the weather cleared soon after daybreak, the maromites set 

 off with their packages. Before we started, Eamananasoa, a 

 Hova officer arrived from Tamatave, having been sent by the 

 governor to see that every needful assistance was rendered us 

 on the road. 



Before resuming* the account of my journey to the capital, 

 it may be well to offer a few words in explanation respecting a 

 class of persons which I may frequently have occasion to 

 mention in the course of my narrative, viz. the native officers. 

 These are not persons wearing uniforms, and occupied in mi- 

 litary duties, but servants of the government, holding place in 

 the gi'aduated scale of rank established in the government 

 service, civil as well as military. In many instances I should 

 not have known they were officers at all, had not the attend- 

 ants and others introducing them, announced their approach 



