324 VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. chap, xii 



Having rested ourselves, and gazed for awhile on the wide 

 and varied panorama, we descended the hill, and shortly 

 afterwards reached the small village of Ambodinifody. This 

 I suppose to be a military post, for two soldiers, one carrying 

 a musket with a bayonet fixed to it, the other a spear, stood 

 outside the door of the house before which my bearers halted. 

 The soldiers saluted me or the officer by whom I was accom- 

 panied. The one who carried the musket gave the word of 

 command, which, as the whole was so sudden and unexpected, 

 I might not perhaps hear distinctly; but what I did compre- 

 hend seemed like, " Eear rank ; take open order — present — 

 fire ! " These words were rather startling, but my companions 

 maintained the utmost gravity. 



While waiting here, I walked out to search for plants in 

 some of the spots" we had passed, and returning before sunset, 

 found a nice clean mat spread in the house I was to occupy. 



During the evening, half a dozen friends arrived — grave, 

 dignified men, whom I had never seen before, but with some 

 of whom I had repeatedly corresponded. The one who came 

 first brought a present of poultry and rice, and a present 

 from the prince, bidding me welcome, and expressing his 

 pleasure at hearing of my approach towards the capital ; the 

 others had come three days' journey from the capital to con- 

 vey to me the greetings of their friends there. Their welcome 

 was indeed most affecting. They had much to relate, and 

 much to ask, and I was glad to assure them of the deep affec- 

 tion and general interest felt in their welfare by friends 

 in England. We united in the expression of our grateful feel- 

 ings for having been permitted to meet each other, and it 

 was late before we parted — later still before I could sleep. 



By seven the next morning we resumed our journey, one of 

 my friends accompanying us in his palanquin. After travelling 

 about an hour, a chief came out of an adjacent house, and ear- 

 nestly solicited me to go in to see a sick jDerson. I had fre- 



