324 
VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. 
CHAP. XII. 
Having rested ourselves, and gazed for awhile on the wide 
and varied panorama, we descended the hill, and shortly 
afterwards reached the small village of Ambodinifody. This 
I suppose to be a military post, for two soldiers, one carrying 
a musket with a bayonet fixed to it, the other a spear, stood 
outside the door of the house before which my bearers halted. 
The soldiers saluted me or the officer by whom I was accom¬ 
panied. The one who carried the musket gave the word of 
command, which, as the whole was so sudden and unexpected, 
I might not perhaps hear distinctly; but what I did compre¬ 
hend seemed like, “ Rear rank; take open order—present—- 
fire ! ” These words were rather startling, but my companions 
maintained the utmost gravity. 
While waiting here, I walked out to search for plants in 
some of the spots we had passed, and returning before sunset, 
found a nice clean mat spread in the house I was to occupy. 
During the evening, half a dozen friends arrived — grave, 
dignified men, whom I had never seen before, but with some 
of whom I had repeatedly corresponded. The one who came 
first brought a present of poultry and rice, and a present 
from the prince, bidding me welcome, and expressing his 
pleasure at hearing of my approach towards the capital; the 
others had come three days’ journey from the capital to con^ 
vey to me the greetings of their friends there. Their welcome 
was indeed most affecting. They had much to relate, and 
much to ask, and I was glad to assure them of the deep affec¬ 
tion and general interest felt in their welfare by friends 
in England. We united in the expression of our grateful feel¬ 
ings for having been permitted to meet each other, and it 
was late before we parted—later still before I could sleep. 
By seven the next morning we resumed our journey, one of 
my friends accompanying us in his palanquin. After travelling 
about an hour, a chief came put of an adjacent house, and ear¬ 
nestly solicited me to go in to see a sick person, I had fre- 
