269 
On their arrival at Ambohitrim*, Mr. Hastie 
received an answer to the letter he had sent to the 
king, in which his Majesty expressed great pleasure 
at his arrival in Madagascar : he also was pleased to 
assure him of a safe protection for himself and his 
suite, and requested him to make no delay in repair¬ 
ing to his capital. 
After travelling about two hundred and seventy 
miles, in the course of which they crossed a great 
number of rivers, lakes, and mountains,—passing also 
many large and strongly fortified towns and villages, 
they arrived, on the third of October, at the foot of 
the mountain on which Tananarive is situated. 
Here they were ordered to wait the pleasure of his 
Majesty; and soon after their arrival, the cannon on 
the hill were fired. At one o’clock, two persons, 
mounted + and dressed as held officers, came down the 
hill, and informed the deputation that the king would 
be ready to receive them at four o’clock, in a public 
* Mr. Jones has spelt this Amhwhitrim; but that orthogra¬ 
phy is by no means similar to the Madegasse language : and as 
the town referred to lies amongst the Ambohitsmene, or Red 
Mountains, it probably bears the same name. 
f No mention, whatever, of horses, as being used on the 
island, has been made before ; nor have we found, in any of the 
French writers, an account of their being conveyed thither, ex¬ 
cept in one instance, viz. when Chamargou was governor. It 
appears he generally rode on horseback, and such was the sur¬ 
prise and terror of the natives, when they first saw that noble 
animal, which was at a battle, that though ten thousand strong , 
they instantly fled, giving it the name of Dian Belische, or King 
of the Devils. 
