CHAP. XII. THE FERRY OF THE MONGORO. 323 



receding further away, but rising higher, and presenting only 

 here and there a small conical elevation. 



More than one of the bearers of the packages had been 

 seized with illness during the journey ; and one to whom I 

 gave some medicine, though better, was unable to proceed. 

 On the following morning, it was discovered that four others 

 had left their companions during the night, notwithstanding 

 the distribution of the bullock and the promise of payment. 

 Leaving five packages, therefore, to be sent after us, we 

 started early across a flat country covered with coarse grass, 

 and passed two or three sluggish rivers, choked at the sides 

 with rushes and weeds. Over two of them were rude bridges. 

 The men remarked of one of the rivers, on which I noticed a 

 number of beautiful water lilies in flower, that there were 

 plenty of crocodiles there. It was a wide muddy river, in 

 gi-eat part overgroAvn with reeds. 



Between ten and eleven o'clock, we reached Andakana, 

 where there is a ferry across the Mongoro, a smooth, but 

 rapid river, about thirty yards wide. I was much surprised at 

 the great number, both of men and women that crossed the 

 river during the time we halted on its banks. "We remained 

 here about three hours, and were then ferried over, and after 

 ascending for a considerable time, we passed along an elevated 

 but level tract of country, vmtil we came to a high mountain 

 range, covered with wood. On reaching the summit of a hill 

 called Ifody, we obtained a view as extensive and magnificent 

 as the country had yet presented. The woods and mountain 

 ranges of Ankay, over which we had travelled, were spread 

 out behind us to the east ; to the north, the country of the 

 Antsianaka, stretching away, like an almost unbroken table 

 land ; to the south was the mountain range we had crossed, 

 and the province of the Betsileo, hilly and broken ; and 

 before us, to the west, the country of the Bezanozano and the 

 mountain Angavo, beyond which were the hills of Ankova. 



Y 2 



