SURFACE ANU GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURE 
15 
in form not unlike a stormy sea. Long stretches of 
ground are covered with a glittering red clay, from which 
granite and basalt project, but in some places there are 
green plains of fertile alluvial soil. J. Sibree reports upon 
the general impression of the higher country in the 
following words : ‘‘ A great part of the mountain region 
of Madagascar is bare desert land of dreary aspect. 
The lines of undulating hills are grown over only with 
coarse grass, which gets brown and dry towards the end 
of the seven months for which the rainless season lasts; 
but the valleys often display a luxuriant tropical vegeta¬ 
tion, associated with the bright green of the rice fields 
wherever the locality is inhabited. If the mountain land¬ 
scape is not wanting in a certain grandeur, it is indebted 
for this to the unusually extensive views over the country 
to be had from many points, the clear pure air causing 
the most distant objects to stand out sharp and distinct. 
But apart from these distant prospects there are many 
places in the mountain region which claim our admiration 
for their picturesque scenery. The view of South Betsileo- 
land filled me with ever new transports of delight. To 
the south appeared a group of mountain tops, peak 
behind peak, and all of different shapes. One resembled 
a ruined tower, a second had a ridge cut out like 
a saw, another was like a mighty pyramid rising by 
gradual steps, and a fourth like a gigantic dome. The 
highest points were for the most part veiled in cloud, 
and many of them rose at least 3000 ft. above the 
plain.” 
The most remarkable elevation that we met with in 
Madagascar was in the Middle Province, the Mountains 
of Ankaratra. It is true that it has not so impressive 
an effect as we might expect from its height above the 
sea, for it rises out of the plain of Imerina, which has 
itself an elevation of 4000 ft., yet its five stately cones 
are visible from a great distance. The highest of these 
