346 VISITS TO ISIADAGASCAR. chap. xm. 



which prevailed. But^ notwithstanding this drawback, it was 

 not possible to gaze on the city before me, the scene of so 

 many heart-stirring and soul-moving events, without deep 

 feeling, more especially when, just before crossing a small 

 stream at the bottom of the hill, we passed near a large pile 

 of granite, which I was told was a place of execution. 



About ten o'clock we reached the first houses, and still 

 continued to ascend by a wide, but rugged and uneven road, 

 often for some distance over the naked rock, until we reached 

 an open stone gateway near one of the palaces, outside of 

 which there appeared to be a guard of about a dozen soldiers, 

 who presented arms to the officers as we passed. We con- 

 tinued ascending until we reached the crest of the hill, and 

 then descended towards the west. I noticed numbers of the 

 natives standing within the enclosures on each side of the 

 road, and gazing with apparent pleasure as we passed. The 

 way now became exceedingly intricate ; and after proceeding 

 for some distance over a path along the top of a wall, built 

 up from below from a depth of twelve or fourteen feet, we 

 at length entered a spacious courtyard, enclosing three neat 

 well-built houses, each two stories high. 



On reaching the most northern dwelling, my palanquin 

 was set down. The officers, who had left their horses on 

 reaching the most intricate part of the way, came to me, and 

 one of them taking me by the hand, and leading me into the 

 building, told me that was the house the queen had appointed 

 for my residence, and then very cordially bade me welcome. 

 The lower story of the house contained two rooms. The 

 room into which I was ushered was large and high, about 

 fourteen feet from the floor to the ceiling ; the floor and the 

 walls were neatly covered with matting. The inner room 

 was somewhat smaller, the floor and walls being also covered 

 with clean matting. At the western end was a window, 

 screened by a white muslin curtain or blind. At the opposite 



