216 
VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. 
CHAP. VIII. 
support from their hands. I was often struck during this 
journey by the perfect ease with which a Hottentot woman 
walked along with one hand resting on her hip, and the 
other hanging by her side, and with a tall jar of water, full 
to the brim, upon her head. 
Towards evening the cattle, horses, sheep, and goats were 
driven home, generally lying for the night around the 
waggons. When the herds were brought home, the fires 
were kindled, and the evening meal prepared. After supper 
the young people, white and coloured, amused themselves 
together in some noisy boisterous game, frequently re¬ 
presenting the exploits of hunting; and by nine o’clock all 
retired to rest. 
My companion and I conformed to the customs of our 
neighbours, so far as to take our meals in the same manner 
and about the same time. The weather was fine, the evenings 
pleasant, and, during the few days that we remained here, I 
became quite reconciled to this out-of-doors life. In my 
wanderings during the day I found, under the shelter of the 
rocks in the neighbourhood, some beautiful ferns, among 
them a new variety of Gleichenia and Platyloma calomelanos, 
seed fructified fronds of which I was so fortunate as to secure 
for the purpose of taking home. 
Having waited from Monday until Thursday, the 1st of 
March, and seeing no immediate prospect of getting our 
waggon over the river, we left it and crossed in a small 
boat to the opposite side. Here we found a number of 
persons detained, and among them a young bridegroom elect 
on his way to be married. Soon after noon Mr. Solomon, the 
missionary from Philippolis, arrived, and in the evening we 
accompanied him on horseback to his station. The four 
following days we passed at Philippolis, where we were much 
gratified with the spirit and the general feeling manifested by 
the people ; while, on our part, every endeavour was made to 
