316 VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. chap. xii. 



they had retired, I found my bearers somewhat fatigued and 

 wishing to halt here for a day before penetrating the great 

 forest ; and though I was anxious to get beyond the region of 

 fever as soon as possible, yet, as the next day was Sunday, I 

 was glad to arrange that it should be a day of rest. 



Although my palanquin had been placed near the fire at 

 which my supper was cooked, it was not dry when I retired 

 to rest. I did not, however, apprehend any inconvenience, as 

 it had before been hung up while wet ; but I awoke in the 

 night in a state of great heat and pain, in consequence of 

 which, I kept closely in the house during the whole of the 

 following day. 



The morning of Monday was fine, and being anxious to 

 proceed, we started early. While the bearers were preparing 

 the packages, my attention was attracted by a number of men 

 with spears, who were chasing a large black hog past the 

 village ; and on inquiry I was informed that it was a stray 

 hog, probably from the adjacent woods. In some of the 

 villages, and even districts, hogs are prohibited by the go- 

 vernment, at the instance of the diviners or idol keepers, who 

 assert that these and other animals are peculiarly obnoxious 

 to the idols, which are to some extent regarded as the tute- 

 lary divinities of the place. Whether it was on this account, 

 or merely for the sport, I did not ascertain, but the appear- 

 ance of the animal produced great excitement in the village. 



Wild boars exist in considerable numbers in the forests. 

 According to the descriptions of them given by the natives, 

 they are different animals from the domesticated hog, and are 

 called by a different name ; Jdsoa being the name of the hog, 

 but the wild boar is called lambo. They are said to have 

 tusks or horns growing under the eyes, probably the callous 

 protuberances of the Sus larvatus of Cuvier, which inhabits 

 parts of the adjacent continent of Africa. It would seem as 

 if the wild boar had at former periods existed in considerable 



