274 
VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. 
CHAP. XI. 
When the bearers had taken charge of their packages, 
Beoli took me to the chiefs of each small party, which con¬ 
sisted of about ten men, and requested me to write down the 
names of these chiefs, who, he said, would be responsible 
for the safety of the packages carried by the men of their 
party. At eight o’clock the first company of about forty men 
left the yard; and about three hours afterwards, a second 
party set out with the remainder of the packages. The 
governor sent to wish me a safe and pleasant journey, and to 
inform me that he had sent three soldiers with an ox to 
Hivondro, where I expected to halt for the night, and where 
the ox might be killed as provision for the commencement of 
the journey. The second in command also sent to say, that 
he had given orders for a bullock to be presented to me at 
two different stages on the route. A number of the chiefs, and 
some of the foreign residents also, came to take leave; and one 
young chief, who had shown me many attentions, and ren¬ 
dered me much assistance, when he had taken leave, and I 
asked him if there was anything I could give him as a token 
of my sense of his kindness, said he had nothing to ask of me 
unless it was a little book which he had seen belonging to 
my servant on a former visit. 
Soon after one o’clock I shook hands with my friends, 
entered my palanquin, and set out on my journey to Antana¬ 
narivo. The people of the village offered their salutations 
and good wishes as we passed along towards the plain to the 
north-east of Tamatave. My palanquin was very much like 
a sailor’s cot fixed to a strong wooden frame, and furnished 
with poles projecting four or five feet at each end, like the 
poles of a sedan chair. About a foot above the upper edges 
of the cot, a sort of roof or covering was formed of fine rofia 
cloth, and curtains of the same material were fixed along the 
sides. These were turned over the top in fine weather, but 
could be let down so as effectually to exclude the rain. Four 
bearers carried the palanquin, a relay of four more walked by 
