SOKHOGNE. 
27 
numbers of poultry, wild and tame ducks^ Guinea fowl^ and 
several kinds of game^ the young of which they pick up in 
the fields. 
The water which they drink is bad : they collect it in 
ponds during the rainy season^ for the wells are at a great 
distance from the village^ and even these furnish water that 
is by no means agreeable : 1 meant to go to see them^ but a 
violent storm prevented my making this excursion. 
On the 6th I purposed to set out^ but it was Tabasky 
day^ and I could not procure a guide. One offered himself 
for the following day, when I was seized with a fever, which 
confined me to my bed, and had such pains in all my limbs 
that I was unable to move. In the rainy season all the ne- 
groes are liable to this disorder, for which, however, they 
employ no remedy. 
At length, on the 9th I was about to depart, when 1 was 
told that my guide was a thief, and that he would certainly 
rob me, or arrange with some accomplice to do it. As it was 
impossible for me to procure another, 1 deferred my departure 
till the following day. 
On the 10th I availed myself of the opportunity of some 
persons going to their fields on the frontiers of W^lo, who 
promised to put me into the right track. We proceeded 
N.E. i N. for three miles ; there they pointed out the route 
which I was to pursue, and then went to their work. I stop- 
ped for a moment, and then travelled on alone in a north-east 
direction toward Walo. About noon I arrived much fatigued 
at Sokhogne, a village in the Walo country ; the route which 
I had followed was covered with wood. The environs of 
this village are not cultivated. 
After resting myself under a tamarind-tree, I bought 
some milk and couscous. I went to see the chief of the vil- 
lage, who offered to conduct me to Merina, whither he was 
going, to ascertain the truth of certain rumours which were 
circulated, respecting a war between his country and the 
