288 
MADAGASCAR. 
as a desirable change, with a view to renewing 
lost energy, or recovering one’s former physical 
or mental tone, one cannot speak at all favour¬ 
ably. To men of good bodily powers, and very 
careful, not to say abstemious habits, the island 
offers a charming home, with fair prospects of 
useful and remunerative employment, if they 
go out with a determination to work, and take 
some amount of capital. The entire non-use of 
any intoxicants is perhaps the right thing to 
recommend, but if some slight stimulant ap¬ 
pears absolutely necessary, then a good claret 
is the only wine which should be touched. 
Spirits are to be avoided, especially on the coast, 
by all means, and above all the rum which is 
used so freely by the natives. That Europeans 
can live pleasantly and happily in Madagascar 
has been shown over and over again. Next to 
a good constitution, perhaps the most important 
requisite for a traveller is a strong and service¬ 
able sleeping apparatus. Carelessness in this re¬ 
spect is sheer folly, and invariably results in a 
break down. The “ Marlborough ” camp bed¬ 
stead and chair combined, of Silver & Co., is the 
finest and most durable thinsr of the kind. It 
O 
was the one thing we desired on our protracted 
journeys through the island, and we are pleased 
to find that such a boon to travellers has at 
length been brought out by this eminent firm. 
