CHAP. XI. 
VISIT TO THE HOT SPRINGS. 
299 
after leaving the river where the natives of the place had 
warned us against the crocodiles, we crossed another river, 
wide, shallow, and clear, flowing over smooth, rounded quartz 
pebbles. Large blocks of quartz were here scattered over the 
surface of the country, which was overgrown with tufts of 
a small rush, or round, tough, wiry grass. Having crossed as 
many as eight rivers during the day, we arrived in the 
evening at the village of Ranomafana, — literally Hot-water , 
— so called on account of some hot springs in the neighbour¬ 
hood. As soon as my palanquin had been taken into the 
house, I set out with my bearers to visit the springs. After 
proceeding about half a mile we crossed a river, and on the 
opposite side found the water bubbling up through the sandy 
soil, within a few feet of the stream. The ground was strewed 
with shining particles, and the course of the water from 
several crevices, was marked with a ferruginous deposit. The 
water which issued from the chasm was quite hot to the 
touch, and on placing the thermometer, which previously 
stood at 78° Fahrenheit, in the spring, it instantly rose to 
140°, the highest mark on the instrument, but not suffi¬ 
ciently high to indicate the heat of the water. Numerous 
bubbles rose continually to the surface, but the water was 
tasteless. The natives, in carrying me back over the river, 
stated that the ground, and the water at the bottom of the 
river, about four feet deep, on the side next to the springs, 
was quite hot, though the surface of the water was cool. 
I had scarcely finished my evening meal, when a crowd 
gathered in front of the house, with native music and sing¬ 
ing. Before the door a man and a woman held each one 
end of a bamboo, about three inches in diameter and six feet 
long. On the other side, five women stood with sticks in 
their hands, beating in concert a sort of native tune on the 
hollow bamboo, and singing at the same time in loud but 
monotonous tones, which, I was told, was for my especial 
