THE FILANJANA. 175 



begin to cany their master's children while they are still 

 mere lads. Thus they get inured to such work almost 

 from childhood, and although there are few middle-aged 

 men who can keep up the face necessary for carrying people, 

 yet many retain strength and endurance enough for carrying 

 burdens until they are quite old and grey-headed. 



The national carriage of Madagascar is the filanjdna, or 

 talcon, as it is called on some parts of the coast. This con- 

 sists of a couple of light poles of tough wood about seven 

 feet long, and kept together by iron rods with nuts and 

 screws ; on the hindmost of these and from the poles is fixed 

 an iron-framed seat, covered with leather and stuffed, having 

 a back against which one can lean. To this many add a piece 

 of wood suspended by straps as a foot-rest, and leather pockets 

 at the side and back for carrying small articles. There is 

 no cover, but a stout sun-shade is strapped to one pole and 

 a piece of waterproof sheeting, as an apron for wet weather, 

 to the other; and thus equipped, one is prepared to explore 

 Madagascar from north to south and from east to west ; and 

 in such a conveyance has the writer travelled many, many 

 hundreds of miles, either in the regular visitation of his 

 district or in making extensive journeys in various direc- 

 tions from the central province. 



The filanjdna just described is a gentleman's palanquin ; 

 the one used by ladies is usually a kind of oblong basket 

 made of platted sheep-skin, and borne on poles of the light 

 and strong mid-rib of the extremely long leaf of the rofia 

 palm. For long journeys these are usually fitted with a 

 covering of strong cloth on a light iron framework, often 

 with mosquito netting to keep out the various insect plagues 

 which are occasionally met with. Both kinds of palanquin 

 are carried in the same way, by four stout bearers, or, as they 

 are called, mdromita, a word which means " many fordings." 

 Every few minutes they change the pole from one shoulder 

 to the other, keeping up a short trot at a pace, on tolerably 

 level ground, of about six miles an hour ; and when the men 

 are properly trained, the motion is much more smooth and 

 pleasant than might be supposed possible. If taking a 

 journey beyond an hour's duration, it is usual to have six 



