280 VISITS TO MADAGASCAK. chap. xi. 



seemed even to exceed a foot and a half in length ; hut the 

 AngrcecuTn, superbum was most abundant. Some of the or- 

 chids greatly resembled certain varieties of dendrobium, being 

 about the size and form of D. Plerardi. There were, also, 

 several bulbs, apparently varieties of Watsoni, exhibiting 

 pink and lilac flowers ; but I had not the heart to stop the 

 men, so as to allow me to examine them more carefully. 

 The little slender modest blue flowered lobelia appeared in 

 great abundance during some parts of the journey. But ex- 

 cept when passing through the forest, the road lay over wet, 

 marshy ground, having a sandy surface, with apparently 

 shallow lagoons spreading a mile or two towards the in- 

 terior. 



After travelling about eighteen miles, we halted at Andra- 

 nokoditra, a village of about a dozen houses, standing on a 

 high bank of sand rising gradually from the shore of an ex- 

 tensive lagoon. The country towards the interior was well 

 wooded, and more elevated than any we had passed through, 

 and on the opposite side of the lake, the little village of Ma- 

 naoka embowered among trees, and standing on a rising 

 ground, with a tall flag-staff in the centre, from which on 

 stated occasions the ensign of the sovereign was unfurled, 

 added much to the charms of the landscape. 



The houses in the villages at which we had hitherto halted, 

 had been for the most part small, slightly constructed, and 

 dirty ; seldom protecting their inmates from the heavy rains 

 which at this season of the year are so frequent. The inha- 

 bitants did not appear to suffer from want of food ; and though 

 much could not be said for their cleanliness or comfort, I saw 

 but comparatively few sick persons. The people who reside 

 constantly in these unhealthy districts are reported to enjoy 

 in general immunity from the fever which is often so severe 

 and fatal to natives from more elevated and healthy districts 

 of the country, as well as to foreigners. 



