HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
91 
slain. He was buried on the summit of the high moun¬ 
tain of Ambohi-miangara, near the lake Itasy. At his grave 
an altar is erected, and thither the people occasionally 
resort to pray and offer sacrifices. 
His wife, Rasoalao, is regarded as the owner of the wild 
cattle. Her grave is unknown. She is, however, prayed 
to; and, unless thus worshipped with sacrifices, the people 
imagine they could neither obtain bullocks nor sheep, nor 
success in any journey they might undertake. 
To the south of this mountain is the large and valuable 
lake Itasy, referred to in the preceding fable, into which 
the Matindrano, a river flowing from the east, empties itself. 
Two rivers from the south fall also into this lake; the 
Fitandambo, and the Varahina. The Lily runs out of it, 
westward, and proceeds to Sakay. 
The general appearance of Imamo is not inviting. It 
is hilly, but with extensive pieces of level ground, and 
fertile valleys. In order to secure good pasture-land for 
the cattle, the inhabitants burn the grass which grows 
luxuriantly on the sides of the hills. They set fire to this 
about the close of the dry season; at which season of the 
year, the fires may be seen at an immense distance illu¬ 
minating the horizon in a most splendid manner, for many 
miles in extent. As soon as the rains fall, the young and 
tender grass springs up, and a fine rich pasture is pro¬ 
vided. 
Vonizongo is a district renowned for having contained 
an unusual number of petty chieftains and nobles. These 
have generally claimed exemption from some particular 
kinds of service, such as digging with the spade, fetching 
wood from the forests, assisting in building houses for the 
sovereign, &c. A number of these were chosen a few 
years since, by Radama, to assist in cultivating some land 
