309 
CHAP. XII. 
Beauty of the Mountain Scenery. — Mode of catching a Bullock. — Charms 
against evil Dreams.—Tomb of a Chief. — Weeping-Place of the Hovas. — 
Beautiful Forms of growth of the Bamboo. — Wild Cattle and wild Boars. 
— Former hunting Excursions in Madagascar.—Frightful Roads, — The 
great Forest of Alamazaotra.—Magnitude of the Trees, beauty of the Flowers, 
and rarity of the Ferns. —The Ferry of Mangoro. — Military Salute.— 
Friends from the Capital.— Breakfast with a Hova Family.— Prince Ramon- 
ja’s Village. — Salutation of his aged Nurse. — Presents from his Tenantry. 
— Extent and beauty of the Valley of Angavo.—The mountain Pass and 
Fortress. — Village Market.—Locusts caught and preserved for food.—Houses 
of Ankova-First night in a Hova Village.—Depredations of the Rats and 
Mice.—The feudal-looking Village of Ambatomanga.—Accommodations and 
Lodging. — Friends from the Capital. — Tombs of the Hovas. — Interior of 
the House at Amboipo. •—Native Silk-weaving. 
On the morning of the 15th of August, we were stirring by- 
daylight, and, in descending from the village of Mahela, 
crossed the Farimbongy, a river between twenty and thirty 
yards wide, and along the banks of which we had travelled 
on the previous day. Ascending the hill, on the opposite 
side, we pursued our way along the ridges of the hills. I 
walked up a steep ascent, and was tempted to prolong my 
walk for a mile or two. From the summit of one of the 
ridges that we crossed, I obtained a view of the sea, off 
Tamatave, and stretching away to the southward of Hi- 
vondro. The well-defined line of the distant horizon, which 
the ocean formed, was very distinct, as seen above the tops 
of the intervening ranges of mountains which we had 
crossed; and the elevation of our present route must have 
been considerable, as we must have been nearly a hundred 
miles from the sea. 
The morning was clear, and the prospect wide and beau- 
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