HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
59 
in many of the lakes in the interior; and the capital is but 
ill supplied with this valuable article of food. Oysters are 
numerous in some parts of the coast, and eels and crawfish 
are met with in the rivers and lakes of the island; the 
former are abundant, and are much esteemed by both na¬ 
tives and foreigners. Various attempts have been made to 
convey fish occasionally from Itasy, a lake in the province 
of Imamo, to Tananarivo, where the worthy citizens have 
enough of the epicurean in their natures to know that 
good fish is good eating. The distance is not more than 
eighty miles, but the badness of the roads renders all com¬ 
munication extremely difficult. Fish, it is true, has been 
conveyed to the capital; but the time consumed in the 
carriage has not improved its flavour. A Mons. Le Gros 
expended considerable sums of money in endeavouring to 
stock a pond in his garden near Tananarivo, from Itasy, 
but failed of success. In 1828, Radama, who was desirous 
of seeing a plan for supplying Tananarivo with fish carried 
into effect, afforded every possible facility to Prince Coroller, 
for making the attempt on a large scale. Ponds were 
accordingly formed at two intermediate stations: the first 
at Antongona, about twenty-five miles from the capital; 
the second, at Ambohilehivy, about twenty miles further. 
About one hundred fish were by this means brought to the 
king’s pond at Mahazoarivo near the capital. It is, how¬ 
ever, feared they have not benefited by the change. As 
pigs, goats, and other useful articles of food, are forbidden 
at Tananarivo by the idol Rakelimalaza, it is not surprising 
that the natives should desire to have, as some indemnifi¬ 
cation, the delicious fish of Itasy. Besides the attempts 
above referred to, Monsieur M^winney had been em¬ 
ployed some time previously in endeavouring to carry fish 
from the lake at Tamatave to Tananarivo. He, however, 
