346 
VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. 
CHAP. XIII. 
which prevailed. But, notwithstanding this drawback, it was 
not possible to gaze on the city before me, the scene of so 
many heart-stirring and soul-moving events, without deep 
feeling, more especially when, just before crossing a small 
stream at the bottom of the hill, we passed near a large pile 
of granite, which I was told was a place of execution. 
About ten o’clock we reached the first houses, and still 
continued to ascend by a wide, but rugged and uneven road, 
often for some distance over the naked rock, until we reached 
an open stone gateway near one of the palaces, outside of 
which there appeared to be a guard of about a dozen soldiers, 
who presented arms to the officers as we passed. We con¬ 
tinued ascending until we reached the crest of the hill, and 
then descended towards the west. I noticed numbers of the 
natives standing within the enclosures on each side of the 
road, and gazing with apparent pleasure as we passed. The 
way now became exceedingly intricate ; and after proceeding 
for some distance over a path along the top of a wall, built 
up from below from a depth of twelve or fourteen feet, we 
at length entered a spacious courtyard, enclosing three neat 
well-built houses, each two stories high. 
On reaching the most northern dwelling, my palanquin 
was set down. The officers, who had left their horses on 
reaching the most intricate part of the way, came to me, and 
one of them taking me by the hand, and leading me into the 
building, told me that was the house the queen had appointed 
for my residence, and then very cordially bade me welcome. 
The lower story of the house contained two rooms. The 
room into which I was ushered was large and high, about 
fourteen feet from the floor to the ceiling; the floor and the 
walls were neatly covered with matting. The inner room 
was somewhat smaller, the floor and walls being also covered 
with clean matting. At the western end was a window, 
screened by a white muslin curtain or blind. At the opposite 
