309 



CHAP. XII. 



Beauty of the Mountain Scenery. — Mode of catching a Bullock. — Charms 

 against evil Dreams. — Tomb of a Chief. — Weeping Place of the Hovas. — 

 Beautiful Forms of growth of the Bamboo. — Wild Cattle and wild Boars. 



— Former hunting Excursions in Madagascar. — Frightful Roads, — The 

 great Forest of Alamazaotra. — Magnitude of the Trees, beauty of the Flowers, 

 and rarity of the. Ferns. — The FeiTy of Mangoro. — Military Salute. — 

 Friends from the Capital. — Breakfast with a Hova Family. — Prince Ramon- 

 ja's Village. — Salutation of his aged Nurse. — Presents from his Tenantry. 



— Extent and beauty of the Valley of Angavo. — The mountain Pass and 

 Fortress. —Village Market.— Locusts caught and preserved for food. — Houses 

 of Ankora. — First night in a Hova Village. — Depredations of the Rats and 

 Mice. — The feudal-looking Village of Ambatomanga. — Accommodations and 

 Lodging. — Friends from the Capital. — Tombs of tlie Hovas. — Interior of 

 the House at Amboipo. — Native Silk-weaving. 



On the morning of the 15th of August, we were stirring by- 

 daylight, and, in descending from the village of Mahela, 

 crossed the Farimbongy, a river between twenty and thirty 

 yards wide, and along the banks of which we had travelled 

 on the previous day. Ascending the hill, on the opposite 

 side, we pursued our way along the ridges of the hills. I 

 walked up a steep ascent, and was tempted to prolong my 

 walk for a mile or two. From the summit of one of the 

 ridges that we crossed, I obtained a view of the sea, off 

 Tamatave, and stretching away to the southward of Hi- 

 vondro. The well-defined line of the distant horizon, which 

 the ocean formed, was very distinct, as seen above the tops 

 of the intervening ranges of mountains which we had 

 crossed ; and the elevation of our present route must have 

 been considerable, as we must ha^e been nearly a hundred 

 miles from the sea. 



The morning was clear, and the prospect wide and beau- 



X 3 



