33S VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. ciiAr. xii. 



accessible, in order that I might have rendered the picture 

 permanent. 



Friends from the capital met us as we approached, and, 

 after cordial greetings, we entered this feudal-looking village, 

 passing along narrow, intricate passages, until we halted at 

 the house in which I was to lodge, and which belonged 

 to the resident head man of the place, the chief to whom 

 the large house belonged being absent at the capital. The 

 house to which I had been conducted was large and well 

 built. Part of the floor was covered with matting. A neatly- 

 framed four-post bedstead, on which mats were spread, with 

 a native-made chair by its side, occupied one corner ; another 

 sleeping-place, of an inferior kind, occupied the opposite end 

 of the house ; while large water-jars, and other useful ar- 

 ticles, filled up the intervening space. There was a raised 

 hearth near the centre ; and amongst the furniture and 

 ornaments, some of which were curious, I observed a large 

 drum, apparently of native manufacture, the barrel being 

 formed out of a solid piece of wood, hanging from a peg near 

 the top of the wall. The chief himself soon entered, and 

 gave me a cordial welcome, while crowds of the villagers 

 gathered round the house to gaze at the stranger. 



One of my bearers, who had previously complained, was 

 so ill during the previous night, as to be unable to travel 

 with us in the morning: but with the help of companions, 

 who had carried him part of the way, he arrived soon after 

 noon. He was lodged in an adjacent house ; and, as soon 

 as I was aware of his illness, I went and found him suffering 

 severely. I gave him some medicine, and expressed my 

 regret that he or his companions had not informed me before, 

 as the fever, from which he was then suffering so much, 

 might probably have been prevented. 



During the afternoon several friends from the capital arrived 

 with a present of poultry, &c., and a letter from friends there 



