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CHAPTER VI. 
A CANOE VOYAGE ALONG THE EAST COAST LAKES. 
The entire absence of roads in Madagascar 
makes travelling a matter often of danger, but 
always one of inconvenience and difficulty, 
especially to Europeans. The native Govern¬ 
ment have neglected to open up, or in any way 
provide means of access to the interior, as they 
consider that to facilitate the admission of large 
numbers of foreigners to the seat of power would 
prepare the way for aggression and ultimate 
conquest of their island. The inhabitants are 
very tenacious of their right to be considered 
the supreme and sole possessors of the whole of 
Madagascar; and they have again and again 
repeated of late their determination to submit to 
any privations or suffering rather than yield up 
one foot of territory to the French or any other 
nation. 
There are two means by which persons or 
merchandise can be conveyed in Madagascar— 
