336 VISITS TO MADAGASCAR chaf. xii. 



strong stockade ; the latter by thick stone walls. The exten- 

 sive introduction of fire-arms, and also of cannon, within the 

 last forty years, has rendered these fortifications useless, and 

 they are consequently neglected; but so long as the only 

 weapons of attack were the pointed stick, or the long sharp 

 iron-headed spear, they must have afforded considerable 

 security. Their chief weapons of defence at that time were 

 stones, or fragments of rock, which were hurled at the assail- 

 ants, or rolled down upon them while in the fosse ; and against 

 the latter the hard-wooded and hide-bound shields of the 

 attacking party afforded no protection. In closer conflict both 

 parties used the spear, which is the national weapon of the 

 Malagasy. 



The morning was bright, the air cool, and the breeze re- 

 freshing, and after travelling over a fine open country covered 

 with thick grass, we approached Ambatomanga, a conspi- 

 cuous and romantic looking village. It was in full view 

 some time before we reached its walls. It stood upon the 

 summit of a low round bill, one side of which was formed of 

 precipitous rock rising from the level of the valley to a height 

 of about four hundred feet. On one side a considerable 

 stream flowed round the base of the hill, and furnished water 

 for extensive plantations of rice spread far over the bottom 

 of the valley, and in terraces along the lower sides of the 

 hills. The slope of the hill, and part of the adjacent land, 

 were enclosed, and planted with a few trees and vegetables. 

 The road, crossing a bridge of stone slabs, led up to a narrow 

 path over the fosse to the opening in the walls by which the 

 village was surrounded, and which were in good preservation. 

 The interior was not so crowded with houses as many of the 

 villages in the country, and I noticed clusters of trees in 

 several places, as if small orchards were attached to some of 

 the dwellings. The houses were all built after the Hova 

 style, with high narrow roofs, the rafters at each end project- 



