306 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
of the central and northern provinces. Whether the natives 
were acquainted with the properties of this valuable metal 
prior to their intercourse with Europeans, is not known, 
but they have long been accustomed to prepare and use it. 
It is stated by the natives, that the working in iron was 
first practised in Imerina about a century ago, viz. in the 
reign of the grandfather of Radama. It has certainly been 
used during a longer period in other parts of the island, 
as the native foundries for smelting iron are noticed by 
Rochon, and is also mentioned by the writers of still earlier 
accounts. In the Betsileo country, and in some of the 
other provinces, the iron ore is found in large quantities on 
or near the surface of the ground, whence it is gathered up 
in baskets, and smelted for use. In several districts, within 
fifty miles of the capital, considerable quantities of ore are 
procured in this manner. The iron used in the capital, or 
obtained for the service of government, is procured chiefly 
from the north and west parts of the country, between forty 
and fifty miles from Tananarivo. Here are situated what 
may be termed the iron mines of Ankova ; but though they 
appear to have been worked for many years, little progress 
has been made, even in examining them much below the 
surface. Mr. ITastie, who visited one of these mines in 
1817, states, that upwards of a hundred different openings 
to the mine had been made, each in size being about three 
feet square, but that none of them were twenty feet deep: 
the mine, therefore, can scarcely be said to be opened. 
Mr. Hastie was informed that about four miles farther west 
a mine of richer ore had been discovered, and that, from 
this more recently-discovered mine, the natives, at the time 
of his visit, easily obtained all the ore they required. Most 
of the iron used in the central parts of the island, is found 
in the mines of Antsianaka; large quantities of ore are also 
