270 
VISITS TO MADAGASCAR, 
CHAP. X. 
purpose of proceeding in company with me to the capital, so 
that my party seemed likely to be much larger than I had 
expected. 
The only roads in Madagascar are those made by naked 
native feet and bullocks’ hoofs. No wheel carriages or pack 
oxen are used by the natives, and as no lakes or rivers admit 
of water carriage, except to a limited extent, all goods are 
conveyed from one part of the country to another on men’s 
shoulders. The governor had informed me it was the queen’s 
order that all my packages should be carried to the capital 
by her people, and a hundred men, a much larger number 
than I at that time thought needful, were appointed to this 
service. At my own request, however, I engaged a dozen 
bearers to carry my palanquin, cooking apparatus, &c., to 
whom I promised payment in money, as well as provisions by 
the way. One or two of them afterwards manifesting some 
misgivings as to whether they might not be included in the 
government arrangement, and thereby lose the promised 
payment, they came to me to inquire, accompanied by the 
interpreter, whom I heard telling them, “ English always pay 
what they say. This is an Englishman, he sure to pay ; ” and 
on my repeating to them the promise that whatever any 
other person might give them, I would certainly pay each 
man the stipulated sum at the end of the journey, they 
appeared delighted at the prospect of seeing the capital, and 
obtaining so much money. 
By daybreak, on the last day I was to spend at Tamatave, 
several Betsimasaraka chiefs came to apportion the packages 
amongst the bearers. When the packages were sufficiently 
small and light, two were given to one man, who tied them 
to the ends of a thick bamboo cane, to be carried across his 
shoulder. The larger boxes were fastened to poles, and 
carried between two, or even four bearers. In scrambling, 
and almost fighting, for the smallest packages, some of the 
