ciur. XI. VISIT TO THE HOT SPRINGS. 299 



after leaving the river where the natives of the place had 

 warned us against the crocodiles, we crossed another river, 

 wide, shallow, and clear, flowing over smooth, rounded quartz 

 pebbles. Large blocks of quartz were here scattered over the 

 surface of the country, which was overgrown with tufts of 

 a small rush, or round, tough, wiry grass. Having crossed as 

 many as eight rivers during the day, we arrived in the 

 evening at the village of Ranomafana, — literally Hot-water, 

 — so called on account of some hot springs in the neighbour- 

 hood. As soon as my palanquin had been taken into the 

 house, I set out with my bearers to visit the springs. After 

 jDroceeding about half a mile we crossed a river, and on the 

 opposite side found the water bubbling up through the sandy 

 soil, within a few feet of the stream. The gi-ound was strewed 

 with shining particles, and the course of the water from 

 several crevices, was marked with a ferruginous deposit. The 

 water which issued from the chasm was quite hot to the 

 touch, and on placing the thermometer, which previously 

 stood at 78° Fahrenheit, in the spring, it instantly rose to 

 140°, the highest mark on the instrument, but not suffi- 

 ciently high to indicate the heat of the water. Numerous 

 bubbles rose continually to the surface, but the water was 

 tasteless. The natives, in carrying me back over the river, 

 stated that the ground, and the water at the bottom of the 

 river, about four feet deep, on the side next to the springs, 

 was quite hot, though the surface of the water was cool. 



I had scarcely finished my evening meal, when a crowd 

 gathered in front of the house, with native music and sing- 

 ing. Before the door a man and a woman held each one 

 end of a bamboo, about three inches in diameter and six feet 

 long. On the other side, five women stood with sticks in 

 their hands, beating in concert a sort of native tune on the 

 hollow bamboo, and singing at the same time in loud but 

 monotonous tones, which, I was told, was for my especial 



