272 
VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. 
CHAP. X. 
superiors, and apparently much to their own amusement and 
that of the men engaged in the courtyard about the packages, 
were cutting the cloth and arranging the palanquin, a friendly 
chief of the village, who came to take leave of me, noticing 
my palanquin, said it was too small for so long a journey, 
and offered a more commodious one of his own, which he 
immediately had brought to the place. When this arrived, 
my fellow-travellers all pronounced it much more convenient 
than the one previously provided. I thankfully accepted it; 
and the needlewomen, when they found that the governor’s 
palanquin was not likely to be used, discontinued their 
stitching, and returned to their dwellings. 
