HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
167 
their journey, the travellers passed two other deserted 
villages, the site of the last being distinguishable only by 
the ashes that remained after every habitation had been 
burned. 
The enterprising character of Mr. Hastie was well 
suited to the difficulties he had to encounter, which arose 
chiefly from the unfavourable state of the weather and the 
want of roads; which induced him to declare, that if that 
was the good season for travelling through the country, 
it would be impossible that the journey should be made in 
any other. The wretched state of the people too, naked, 
filthy, and suffering from want, presented in every direction 
a melancholy spectacle. Yet such was the natural buoy¬ 
ancy of his own mind, that, when he halted for the night, he 
cheerfully built the huts for his lodging, and pursued his 
way in the morning, through discouragements that would 
have impeded the progress of less adventurous men. 
Near the village of Ranomafana he had the curiosity 
to visit a hot spring, where he describes the water as being 
of a pleasant taste. He states that it is too warm for any 
animal to exist in it, and says that a bottle filled with it 
was four hours before it became cold. The guide who 
accompanied him having assured him it was necessary to 
offer a libation to the presiding genius of the place, Mr. 
Hastie very willingly filled a glass with spirits, over which 
the man pronounced a sort of propitiatory incantation; but 
Mr. Hastie observing that he offered only a few drops to 
the god, emptied the glass into the spring; upon which the 
man expressed so much disappointment, that he filled it 
again, and allowed him, as he had at first intended, to 
appropriate the greater portion to himself. After this the 
man expressed his confidence that the journey would be 
propitious, the god being fully satisfied with partaking 
