330 
VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. 
CHAP. XII. 
sides. Before the introduction of fire-arms, it must have 
been almost impregnable. It was defended by the last inde¬ 
pendent chief of the Bazanozano against Radama, who, it 
is said, took it chiefly by the aid of fire-arms, after two days’ 
fighting. 
The descent, on the western side of the pass, was woody and 
broken. I had noticed a few rare plants on the eastern side, 
especially some small lilac-flowered orchises, and the small 
rich, bright flowered Euphorbia Bojeri } resembling E. splen- 
dens, but with smaller and deeper-coloured scarlet flowers. 
On the western side the vegetation was rich and new. It is 
here that the finest species of ebony produced in the island 
is found. I saw several new orchids, and obtained a few 
fronds of some unknown forms. At length, after crossing 
a somewhat rapid stream, completely overshadowed by trees 
of luxuriant foliage, we reached the open country, character¬ 
ised by broad level tracts, laid out in rice grounds, much of it 
under culture, and diversified by flat rounded hills. 
We halted at a resting-place for travellers. These resting- 
places, of which we passed many on our journey, are gene¬ 
rally a grassy knoll, at a distance from any trees, affording a 
wide and pleasing prospect, or a position for enjoying a cool 
refreshing breeze. The multitudes of travellers who rest on 
the grass tend to keep it short and smooth; and quantities of 
the fibre of the sugar-cane, chewed by the travellers during 
their resting-time, are strewn all around. Close by this 
place, a round stone, like a large cannon-ball, was lying on 
the ground, and two small stones were fixed upright, at a 
distance of some yards from each other. My bearers and 
some others of the party instantly repaired to the spot where 
this stone was lying, and those who were able took up the 
large round stone, and, standing near one stone, endeavoured 
to hurl it to the opposite stone, as a feat of strength. After 
a series of trials, only two — one of my own bearers, and 
