32 
MADAGASCAK. 
brought under cultivation by Creole planters and 
other settlers, who have crossed over in great 
numbers from Mauritius and Bourbon, and even 
India, to find a home amongst the amiable and 
peaceful Malagasy. 
Extending for sometimes ten and often fifty 
miles inland to the foot of the first of the ascend¬ 
ing terraces, there is a belt of rich productive 
meadow-land, intersected by numerous deep and 
rapid rivers, and covered everywhere w 7 ith lux¬ 
urious and umbrageous tropical vegetation. The 
orange-tree, the cocoa-nut palm—the huge water 
arum, sweeping our boat as it floats along the 
surface of the beautifully transparent stream—the 
tree-fern, lifting its graceful fronds high up over¬ 
head—the wild citron, the broad-leaved banana, 
the luscious mango, the feathery bamboo cane, 
with “ its tresses heaving in the wind/’—are all 
around us in rich profusion ; and the eye wanders 
with delight over fields beyond fields bright with 
the fresh green of the young rice-plant not yet in 
ear, and echoing with the cries and songs of the 
native boatmen, or the maromita at work among 
the sugar-canes. The Betsimisaraka, a coast 
tribe, are a happy people, full of good-nature and 
high spirits, and seem to take a very cheerful 
view of things. They cannot be silent, and they 
seem to have a collection of inspiriting and mirth- 
provoking songs, wdiich they are never tired of 
