CHAP. XIII. 
EXCURSION INTO THE COUNTRY. 
359 
In the forenoon of the following day three young officers 
of the palace came to say that they had been appointed by the 
queen to accompany me, should I wish to ride out into the 
country. I thanked the queen, and said I should be glad to 
accompany them in the afternoon. About two o’clock a mes¬ 
senger came to say that the prince would accompany me, and 
that the present was better than a later hour. A palanquin 
with bearers was also provided for my use. 
I set out soon afterwards with the three young officers on 
horseback. Many of the people appeared on the walls and 
terraces of the houses as we passed along. Towards the 
suburbs we overtook the prince, attended by a number of 
officers, and surrounded by crowds of people. I alighted at 
the place where he was standing, which was a high part of 
the road, overlooking the large parade-ground towards the 
west. A number of large cannons on wooden carriages were 
ranged along the edge of the road. I saw by the marks they 
were English guns. The greeting of the prince was cordial; 
and when he entered his palanquin he ordered the bearers of 
mine to keep in advance, but his own palanquin was soon 
alongside, and whenever the road was sufficiently wide we 
were near enough to converse with ease. 
We were altogether quite a large party. There were three 
palanquins, a young chief belonging to the queen’s family 
being with the prince. There were also six officers on horse¬ 
back, besides many on foot, with their attendants and the 
bearers. We proceeded in a northerly direction, by Andohalo, 
one of the places at which public assemblies are convened, and 
past a spot where what was once a chapel is now a prison; 
and shortly afterwards turned to the westward, passing an 
artificial lake or pond, with an island in the centre, and a 
bridge or causeway connecting the island with the shore. In 
the suburb we passed through a market, where the goods in 
great variety were spread on the ground: and in about half 
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