160 
MADAGASCAR. 
ports of the coast. Till very lately it was ex¬ 
tremely difficult to pass from one point to another 
of the island by sea, and long and tedious land 
journeys were the only practicable methods often 
by which the explorer or trader could get to any 
particular place. The east coast is worse off in 
this respect than the western seaboard. The 
tiny vessels which collect the rubber, hides, gum, 
and bee’s-wax for the Tamatave merchants seldom 
venture far in the stormy season, and it is ex¬ 
tremely difficult to prevail upon the captains to 
accept a passenger on any terms. The accom¬ 
modation on board these craft is of the most 
meagre condition, and a passage in them, even 
under the most favourable conditions of wind 
and weather, is far from enjoyable. The seamen 
who command them are, however, kindness 
itself, and the writer of these pages cannot refrain 
from putting on record here his gratitude to those 
gallant sailors, with whom he has voyaged, and 
whose society, under a variety of circumstances, 
he has been privileged to enjoy. 
On the west coast the traveller finds himself 
much better off with regard to means of transit. 
He can at almost any port secure for a reasonable 
sum the services of an Arab dhow or a sail canoe, 
that really skims the waves like a thing of life. 
These canoes are long and narrow, without gun¬ 
wale, and are sailed with an enormous sheet, which 
