CHAP. XIII. 
THE SILVER SPEAR, OR “HATER OF LIES.’ 
561 
by natives, and had been finished abont three years. They 
said they had books about building bridges, and followed the 
directions in the books as far as they could. The stones 
were cemented with clay; but I noticed that in some places 
near the water-line the cement was washed away; and they 
said that during the rainy season there was a great body of 
water. 
Leaving the bridge, we journeyed westward through several 
villages, and some extensive rice-fields then lying fallow. 
The soil of these fields was a loose red sand, with stiff grey 
clay. The ground was well dug, and the spadefuls of soil 
piled up like newly made bricks in a brick-field, that it might 
be penetrated by sun and wind, and pulverised before re¬ 
ceiving the water. At length we reached another bridge 
spanning a river nearly as wide as that which we had left. 
This bridge was a more compact and solid structure than the 
former, but also without mortar. On the western side of this 
bridge is the village of Ambaniana; and this being market- 
day, multitudes of the people were returning over the bridge. 
The village of Anosizato, — literally, a hundred islands ,— 
lying a short distance to the southward, looked attractive, 
but we now turned towards the capital. 
The prince and his companions were exceedingly com¬ 
municative during the ride, pointing out the distant villages, 
and mentioning their names. On our way we passed a 
number of officers, one of whom carried a large broad-headed 
silver spear. The whole of our party saluted the spear as it 
was carried past, and the prince afterwards told me it was 
Tsitialainga, the hater of lies, the revealer of crimes, the 
detector of criminals, and an emblem of power in Madagascar. 
The officer who bore it was one of the Queen’s heralds on an 
errand of justice. Whenever any one is accused of a crime 
by Tsitialainga, this spear is planted in the doorway ; and 
no one dares to leave the house until it is removed. 
