Chapter XXIII: To the North-West Coast

Crocodiles are not the only reptiles to be seen in the river, for we also saw many large tortoises. They were chiefly of the genus _Pyxis_, the Geometric or Box tortoise, having the carapace divided into large hexagons beautifully marked, and were basking in the sun on small spits of sand rising just above the surface of the water. A carapace which I afterwards procured on the coast was about eighteen inches long. Two other species are also found in Madagascar, named respectively, _Testudo geometria_ and _Testudo radiata_.

In former times the lakes and marshes of the island were inhabited by an immense species of tortoise, whose remains have been found together with those of the gigantic birds (Æpyornis), the hippopotamus and the great extinct lemurs, all of which were no doubt contemporaneous, lasting until the arrival of man on the scene. But although extinct on the mainland of Madagascar, they seem to have survived on the Mascarene group of Mauritius, Réunion and Rodriguez until a very recent date, and they are still living in the little island of Aldabra, which is about two hundred and sixty miles north-west of Cape Ambro. There are two living examples of these huge creatures in the Regent’s Park Gardens. The male tortoise, which is much the larger of the two, is five feet five inches in length, and five feet nine inches in breadth, broader, in fact, than it is long. It weighs about eight hundred pounds, and is believed to be able to carry a ton weight on its back. It is now at least a hundred and fifty years old, but is still young and is likely to grow to a much greater size. From the geometric-shaped plates of its carapace, it seems to be allied to the geometric tortoise, still plentiful in Madagascar, as we have just seen. Until lately, it was supposed that these great tortoises were becoming extinct on Aldabra, but by the most recent accounts of the island, it appears that this is not likely to be the case, the dense jungle of pandanus giving them ample protection, as it is at night when they leave this shelter, and go in search of food.[32]

Although we saw no villages during this day’s voyage, there was evidence of some population, in people fishing along the river bank, canoes moored by the shore, and women drawing water, carefully avoiding going into the stream, and filling their vessels with a small gourd fastened to a long bamboo. The scenery also was more varied, there being lines of low hills, partly covered with wood, and the banks of the river lined with large trees.

Our third day’s voyage took us again along a very beautiful extent of park-like scenery. All yesterday afternoon we were gradually approaching a long line of blue hills running north-north-west and south-south-east, and this morning we got nearer to them. They appeared to be about a thousand feet high, and almost covered with dense forest, with patches of rock and red clay showing here and there. Landing at noon for lunch among magnificent trees, I noticed that these were swarming with ants, which covered the trunks and devoured every fruit as soon as it became ripe.

It is the largest Madagascar carnivore, and is like a small jaguar]

Note their large humps and horns]

[Sidenote: A FIERCE ANIMAL]

During this journey to the north-west, we saw no mammals except herds of oxen; but as there _are_ a few others, it will be fitting here to say something about the largest carnivorous animal found in the island, especially as this district is its special habitat. This creature is called by the people, _Fòsa_ (_Cryptoprocta ferox_), and although small is very ferocious, as its specific name denotes. The fòsa differs from most of the felidæ by the greater elongation of the body, including the head, and it is plantigrade, like the bears, and not digitigrade, like the majority of the cats. In its structure it resembles the jaguar, and in its colouring the puma, indeed it is very like a small jaguar, as it has thick glossy fur of a tawny-brown, which becomes somewhat darker under the body. Its total length is four feet eight inches, but of this the tail occupies two feet two inches, and it stands about one foot three inches high. For its size, the animal is powerful, but it is not dangerous to man, except when it is wounded, or at the breeding season. It is destructive to poultry and small animals, and it is able to emit a very fetid odour from an anal pouch, with which fowls are said to be killed. Examples of the fòsa have been seen in the outskirts of the upper belt of forest on the east side of the island; and of somewhat larger size than the dimensions already given. A specimen I once saw was of a beautiful black colour, but I believe this was only a variety, and not a distinct species from the brown animal. The fòsa is much dreaded by the Malagasy, and, from its mode of attack, appears to be like an immense weasel, attacking large animals, such as the wild boar and even oxen. Like the aye-aye among the quadrumana, and many of the native birds, the fòsa has no near relative, and therefore a new family had to be formed for it, of which it is the only genus and species.

The other carnivora of Madagascar are all small animals, and are rarely seen except when trapped. They all belong to the viverridæ or civets, two to the civets proper, five (or six) being mungooses, and one, an ichneumon. The mungooses, known to the Malagasy under the name of _Vontsìra_, somewhat resemble the weasels and ferrets of Europe, except that they are not exclusively flesh feeders. They feed upon poultry, rats and mice, and also fruits. The ichneumon, or _Fanàloka_, is about twenty inches long, with a bushy tail of about a third that length, and is covered with thick warm brown fur. Its claws are long and are used to dig up the eggs of the crocodile, on which it is said to feed.

[Sidenote: COLOURED FISH]

Although we saw an occasional angler on the banks of the river, we were not fortunate enough to see any of the fish. According to M. Pollen, the rivers of the north-west contain a number of fish, many of which are coloured in a most striking manner; the plates of his valuable work on the fauna of the island show these as banded and barred with the most vivid colours—blue, scarlet, black and yellow—in fact, very much like those strikingly coloured and curiously marked fishes which inhabit the sea round coral reefs and feed upon the brightly tinted polyps.

Wednesday afternoon’s voyage was, as regards scenery, the most beautiful of the whole journey. Instead of the country becoming flatter as we approach the sea, it increases in boldness and picturesqueness. Lines of hills covered with wood lie in all directions, and amongst these the river winds, making sudden turns almost at right angles, so that we proceeded towards almost every point of the compass except due south. A few scattered hamlets, of three to six huts each, began to appear. The crocodiles were numerous, from the old patriarch to the infant of a foot or so long. We must have seen a hundred of them that afternoon. We had some difficulty in landing and pitching our tents, and on account of the heat and the mosquitoes passed the most uncomfortable night of the entire journey. Hardly anyone was able to sleep, and I was glad to get up at four o’clock and dress in the bright moonlight and rouse up the others.

[Sidenote: OUTRIGGER CANOES]

Our fourth (and last) day of canoe voyaging was begun soon after six o’clock. Outrigger canoes made their appearance, a style of craft the Hovas seem never to have invented, nor are such in use on the east coast. The scenery increased in boldness, with precipitous hillsides rising from the side of the river, which here was about the size of the Thames at Kew. About an hour after leaving, we found the current running up the stream; it was feeling the influence of the tide from the ocean, still many miles distant. The foliage was most dense and luxuriant, from the summit of the hills down to the water’s edge, in some parts the long lianas forming immense festoons and making a perfect wall of exquisite green, while the ever-present _bàraràta_ shoots up its feathery head. After some time we turned from the main stream into a branch river, much narrower, but running for many miles in a straight line. As the day advanced, the intense sunlight made everything glow with light and heat, lighting up the dense vegetation most brilliantly. Groups of pandanus were frequent here among the more European-like trees; these are of two species, one rising into a lofty cone, almost like a low poplar, and the other one more spreading and brandishing, with the aerial roots rising high above the ground. After an hour or two we came again into the main stream, here more than a mile wide, the banks being still thickly wooded. It was intensely hot, and we were not sorry to see Màrovoày (“Many crocodiles”) a few miles ahead of us on a detached hill to the east of the river.

At one o’clock we stopped when opposite the town, the water approach to it being by a small tidal stream which flows into the main river some miles farther down. Our men were just enough to carry the wife and baby and little girl in their palanquin across the mile or two, while the native nurse and I walked; the others, who were some way behind, had to go farther down the river in the canoes, and consequently had three or four hours’ paddling in the glowing afternoon sun, which we who took the land journey avoided.

Màrovoày is situated on the north-east bank of a small river, which we had to cross by a canoe. Nearly a dozen dhows were either anchored in the stream or aground on mud-banks, giving the place the aspect of a small fishing town. The lower town, with perhaps two hundred houses, was chiefly occupied by Arab and Indian traders, their stores and warehouses lining the main street through which we passed. The Hova town and government compound (_ròva_) was on a low hill, rising abruptly from the level to the height of eighty or a hundred feet. Coming up to the gate of the _ròva_, we stopped to rest and sent word of our arrival to the governor. While we were waiting, one of our men thoughtfully got us a coffee-pot full of _rànom-pàry_ (sugar-cane juice), and never did nectar taste more delicious than that as we took repeated “pulls” at it after our walk across the rice-fields in the glowing sunshine.

[Sidenote: A WELCOME REST]

Presently we were invited to enter, the governor coming out to meet us, and brought us into his house, a rather smartly furnished place of one large room, but with a wide gallery all round it. Here we were glad to rest after our hot voyage and walk, and enjoyed an excellent cup of coffee, which they kindly made for us, as well as some of Huntley & Palmer’s “best mixed biscuits.” We felt as if we were getting back into a civilised land again! After a little while we moved into the chapel, which was also within the _ròva_; this was a large building, and looked quite gay, from being completely papered with good wall-paper, but badly laid on, for the native workman evidently thought that the white edging to each piece was a part of the pattern, and so had carefully left it visible in every case! The wooden posts of the roof were all papered too. The pulpit was a curious example of its kind, being made of lattice-work, gaily painted, with a number of small looking-glasses let into its front, and backed by wall-paper. It had a flat canopy or sounding board and a large door, so it was like a little room of itself. With its numerous doors and windows there was a beautiful breeze through the building, and we anticipated a comfortable night, but, alas! our hopes were not realised, for the heat was intense, and the mosquitoes persecuted us by hundreds. This town is probably one of the hottest in the island, and we were told that later on, in the rainy season, the place is almost unbearable from the clouds of these insects.

[Sidenote: FROM CANOE TO DHOW]

Our day at Màrovoày was occupied chiefly in arranging for leaving for Mojangà the same evening, and in transferring all our baggage to one of the dhows lying in the river. There is an extensive view from the upper part of the town, as the country is very flat for many miles round. In the evening we dined with the governor and his wife in the _làpa_, and went down to the river at about nine o’clock. With some difficulty, in the darkness, we transferred ourselves and palanquins, etc., from shore to canoe, and from canoe to dhow, and at last were crowded together as thick as we could sit and lie on the little deck. The ship we embarked in was about thirty-five feet long, by fourteen or fifteen feet beam; the middle portion open to the keel, but with a little deck forward and another aft. This small quarter-deck was about ten to twelve feet square, and when the two large palanquins for the children to sleep in had been placed on either side, there was not much space left for five adults to pack together, in fact we had about as much room as would be found on a good-sized dining-table.

Soon after ten o’clock we got under way, the tide having begun to ebb for the previous hour or two. There was no wind, so six men rowed us down the stream, accompanying their work with the most curious weird-sounding songs, in Arabic, I suppose (or perhaps Suahili), some of them sounding very comic. We swept down rapidly with the tide, the trees looking dark and gloomy in the uncertain light, and presently the moon rose. After an hour or two we got into the main river, and in a little time had to cast anchor, as the tide had turned. It was a strange night, and we did not get much sleep, as we had not room to turn, so we waited impatiently for the dawn. Dawn, however, brought with it a cloud of mosquitoes from the low swampy ground bordering the river, which was thick with mangroves and rank vegetation. Just at twilight they surrounded us by thousands; but as soon as the sun rose, they disappeared, a gentle breeze sprang up, and we set sail. The river widened as we proceeded, until it became a large estuary, and gradually opened into the Bay of Bèmbatòka. The breeze freshened as the day advanced, and we sailed at a considerable speed.

These dhows are first-rate sailers; they carry one large sail, in shape like a triangle with one corner cut off. But what struck us as very curious was that when tacking, they did not run into the wind’s eye as a European ship does, but they turned the dhow right round before the wind, while shifting the long boom to the other side of the mast. But they sail very close to the wind, and seem excellent sea boats. This form of ship is probably a very ancient one, for vessels very similar in shape and rig are figured on the Egyptian monuments, and most likely the “ships of Tarshish” were only rather large dhows. The largest of these vessels have two masts, the one at the stern being much smaller than the other, and both have a _rake_ forward, instead of aft, as in European ships.

[Sidenote: MOJANGÀ]

Our spirits rose with the wind, for there had been many prophecies at Màrovoày that we might be a long time on the way, and, in fact, some friends who preceded us by a month or two were actually three nights on the voyage. But we bounded over the waves and soon felt a considerable swell. Bèmbatòka Bay is so wide for a considerable distance that the north-western shore is only faintly visible, but it narrows again towards the mouth, and a line of hills running out to the western point defines its outline very clearly; opposite Mojangà it is about five miles across. Towards noon they pointed out to us a projecting headland, some way ahead to the right, and told us that after rounding that we should see Mojangà. The wind continued strong, but as it got more and more ahead, we had to tack repeatedly. At about half-past three o’clock we reached our destination, casting anchor a quarter of a mile or so from the beach.

[Sidenote: CAMELS]

Mojangà was a decidedly pretty and picturesque-looking place from the sea, and a much more civilised-looking town than any I had previously seen in Madagascar. Instead of rush and bamboo houses, there was a long line of white flat-topped buildings of two and three storeys, some having castellated battlements. A score or two of dhows were at anchor in the roads, but there was no European vessel in the harbour. Behind the Arab and Indian town the ground rises gently for two hundred or three hundred feet, and at the top of this higher ground is the _ròva_ and Hova town. Between the two, and to the north, is a beautiful park-like expanse, thickly studded with magnificent trees, chiefly mangoes, which here grow to a great size, as well as baobabs, and clumps of cocoanut-palms and a few fan-palms. A fort crowns the crest of the hill to the north; and altogether, we were agreeably surprised with Mojangà. Just as we had cast anchor, we were surprised to see several camels brought down to the sea for a bath. They were imported from Aden some time ago by a French firm, but had not proved a success, commercially, for Madagascar has too damp a climate for animals accustomed to the sand and gravel of the Arabian desert. We had not landed many minutes before our brother missionary, Mr Pickersgill, then stationed at Mojangà, came down and gave us a hearty welcome and every assistance with our baggage, etc. Our little family party found quarters in the verandah of the house of a Madame Beker, very near the shore, while the others went to stay with Mr Pickersgill near the _ròva_. This house was of coral rock, plastered, but was so hot that we preferred the verandah, which was roofed with fan-palm leaves and surrounded with the same slight materials. We were glad of the quiet and rest we had there for a week after our two or three weeks’ travelling by land and river.

The following morning, Sunday, the mail steamer, _Packumba_, came in about midday, but left again for Mozambique in the afternoon. On going on board to see the ship we were to sail in, we found that her main deck was arranged so as to take a great number of passengers, the iron plating at the sides all turning up on hinges to allow a free passage of air. I was glad to be able to preach to a large congregation in the native church during the afternoon.

The week at Mojangà passed away rapidly, for we had plenty to do in rearranging and labelling luggage, disposing of our palanquins, bedding, and other no longer needful property, and preparing for our voyage. At this town we found ourselves in quite a different place and surroundings from what we had seen everywhere else in Madagascar. We were in the midst of an Indian and Mohammedan population, the traders here being mostly Banians and a large proportion of them British subjects. Hindoo speech, dress, ornament, and customs met us at every turn, and also those of the Arabs. The houses are chiefly built of coral rock, plastered with lime, and roofed with fan-palm leaves. The door and window openings are made with flat-pointed and zigzagged arches; and when the rooms are wide, a line of piers and arches runs down its length, giving a cool depth of shade quite Eastern in its effect. The doorways have elaborately carved lintels and posts; these are all done at Bombay and brought here ready for fitting. There is a little stone carving also here and there, and Arabic sentences are carved over the doors in some cases. The men are in Indian dress, and the women with nose-jewels, silver armlets and anklets, and the long muslin robe thrown over the head and wound round the body.

[Sidenote: ARABIC DRESS AND CUSTOMS]

Arabic dress and customs were not less prominent in Mojangà. Close to our lodging was a small mosque, and from the flat roof we could hear the _muezzin_ calling the faithful to prayers five times a day in a long sonorous musical cry—before sunrise, in the forenoon, at noon, at three o’clock, and at sunset, and could see his form silhouetted against the sky, making a number of prostrations when the call was finished. Our stay here was in the month Ramazan, the great fasting-time of the Mohammedans, when they eat and drink nothing all day, at least the strictly orthodox do not. They make up for it, however, at night; and feasting and jollity seemed to be the general employment. Our house adjoining the main street, it was extremely noisy until long after midnight. There is no doubt that the Arabs, and also the Indians, have been settled at Mojangà, as well as at other places on the north-west coast, for centuries. As we have seen in Chapter XII., there was an Arab colony at some remote period on the south-east coast, but this was gradually absorbed and lost in the native population and no longer maintains a separate existence. The north-western colony, however, being in constant communication with Suahili land and the Arab element there, has maintained its individuality, and kept its dress, customs, language, and religion quite distinct from the Malagasy around it.

Amongst the magnificent mango-trees in the park are many specimens of the baobab-tree (_Adansonia madagascariensis_); one of these must be from seventy to eighty feet in girth. The trunks of these trees are of enormous size compared with the small expanse of the branches; and their glossy dark brown bark, their rapid tapering upwards, and their bareness of foliage for the greater part of the year, mark them very distinctly from all others. They are curious in appearance, but not at all beautiful. The bark is used to make rope, and the sap is said to be potable and tasteless; the wood, however, is so soft that it can be pulled away by the fingers.

Many trees affording beautiful and valuable timber are found in these western woods; among these is one yielding the kind called by cabinet-makers “zebra-wood,” while ebony is obtained from one or more of the twenty-two species of _Diospyros_ known in the island. We have seen the mangrove (_Rhizophora mucronata_) on the shores of Bèmbatòka Bay, and this tree is found at the mouths of almost all the rivers and inlets on the north-western coast, where it is the most prominent feature in the extensive swamps, probably also helping to extend the land.

[Sidenote: FISHING EAGLES]

We had no opportunity of seeing the largest of the Madagascar birds, the _Ankoày_, or fishing eagle (_Haliaetus vociferoides_), although it is found all along the western coast. It is a large and handsome bird, and is said to keep watch on a tree or cliff at the edge of the water, swooping down like lightning into the sea after its finny prey, and being able to arrest instantaneously its downward flight. M. Grandidier says that a single pair of these eagles is found in very many of the innumerable small bays of the north-western coast, and of this they take exclusive possession, allowing no other eagle to encroach on their own preserves. They feed principally on fish, catching adroitly those which appear near the surface. The name of _Ankoày_ applied to this bird appears to be an imitative one derived from its cry of _hoai, hoai_.

It is doubtful whether there is another eagle really indigenous to Madagascar, although a harrier-eagle (_Eutriorchis_) was once shot in the Mangòro valley; if this was not a chance immigrant, it must be extremely rare. This one example was remarkable for the extreme shortness of its wings, and immoderate length of tail.

[Sidenote: TURTLES]

One of the most important occupations of the coast Sàkalàva is the catching of turtles (_fàno_). Some of these creatures are oval in form and very fat and plump, others are much thinner and flat; of these latter, some are said to attain a length of eight or nine feet. In catching them the natives go out to sea in the early morning, when the turtles come to the surface to enjoy their morning nap, and at which time the sea is usually very smooth. A kind of harpoon, about twelve feet long, shod with a piece of barbed iron is used, and to this a strong rope, a couple of hundred yards in length, is attached. Great care and caution has to be used in approaching the sleeping animal, for, if struck, it dives down immediately, and the fisherman will not leave go of the rope, but dives down with it, if the water is deep. The natives seem to be able to stop an extraordinary time under water. As soon as the turtle is secured, the captors make for the shore, and all the people gather together to share in the feast. Nobody must bring anything from a house to the spot, for the animal must be wrenched open and cut in pieces with knives belonging to the canoe, it must be cooked in sea-water in the shell of the turtle itself, and served in scoops or other vessels from the canoe, or in pieces of turtle-shell. None of the flesh is allowed to be brought into a house to be cooked or eaten there. All these and several other precautions are ancestral customs and must be religiously observed, or the turtles would disappear.

A curious account is given by the natives of the north-west coast of a fish which they call _Hàmby_, whose length is said to be about that of a man’s arm, and its girth about that of his thigh. Its dorsal fin, they say, is just like a brush, and it has a liquid about it, sticky like glue, and when it fastens on to another fish from below, with this brush on its head, the fish cannot get away, but is held fast. On account of this peculiarity, the people use the hàmby to fish with. When they catch one, they confine it in a light cage, which they fasten in the sea, feeding it daily with cooked rice or small fish; and when they want to use it, they tie a long cord round its tail and let it go, following it in a canoe. When it fastens on a fish they pull it in and secure the spoil. I wonder whether this fish has any connection with one found on the east coast, which is called _Làdintavìa_, and is said by Mr Connorton to be covered with a kind of slime, so that when many of them are together, it looks as if they are floating in a thick lather of soap.

Two or more kinds of oysters are found on this north-west coast; one of these is called by the people _Sàja_, which may be seen covering the rocks in great abundance on the seashore at low water. It is a small oyster, but excellent in quality. Another kind, called _Téfaka_, is only found at some depth below water. It is a much larger oyster than the sàja, with the interior of the shell beautifully pearly. It is said to be delicious in flavour. Quite recently an English company was projected to exploit these oyster beds for pearls and for the pearly shells themselves.

Another sea-living creature in Madagascar waters is a species of octopus called _Horìta_, which, notwithstanding its repulsive appearance, is reckoned a delicacy by the coast people, although Europeans who have tried it pronounce it as tough and gluey and uneatable, although cooked for a long time.

[Sidenote: HERONS]

The north-west coasts, from the numerous estuaries surrounded with trees, are particularly favourable for such birds as the herons, some species of which are regarded as sacred by the natives, and are consequently less shy than these birds are in Europe, while others are very wary and most difficult to approach. In habits and feeding these Madagascar herons are much like the European and African species, mostly living on fish, molluscs and crustacea, the larger ones devouring reptiles and small birds and mammals, while the smaller kinds are insectivorous. They are often found in companies, including several different species, settled on the trees overhanging or near water, and remaining perfectly motionless for a long time. Some of the herons appear to be very common, as the ashy, the black-necked, the purple, the white-winged, the garzetta, and some others, and especially the small white egret, which we have noticed more than once in these chapters. Fifteen species of heron are found in Madagascar, three storks, a spoonbill, five ibises and a flamingo.

[Sidenote: ISLAND OF NÒSIBÉ]

It was a pleasure to us during our week’s stay at Mojangà to meet with several old acquaintances among the Hova officers stationed there; anyone coming from their loved Imèrina always received a warm welcome. On the Saturday of the week after our arrival there, the _Packumba_ returned from Africa, and on the following morning we left in her for Aden and Europe. Steaming northwards, we kept in sight of the mainland of Madagascar during the next day, and this appeared bold and mountainous, and very different from the greater portion of the eastern coast of the island. There were many islands rising precipitously out of the sea, while ahead of us the lofty mountains of the island of Nòsibé soon appeared. These looked exactly like portions of the interior of Madagascar set down in the midst of the sea; the same red clay soil and the same markings of valley and ravine as seen all through the interior plateaux. Two or three very regular volcanic cones, truncated and showing the craters, were very prominent; these are parts of that chain of extinct vents of which we have seen numerous examples in our travelling through other parts of the country. Besides the main island of Nòsibé, there are many outlying portions of it, looking like detached islets dropped into the sea. Some of these are densely wooded from base to summit. Altogether, as may be seen from a brief glance at the map, the north-western side of Madagascar is totally different, with its numerous deep bays and inlets, from the eastern side, where there is almost a straight line for many hundreds of miles. The geology of the two sides is very different, and this has powerfully affected their physical geography.

We stayed several hours at Nòsibé, discharging and receiving cargo, and it was nearly sunset when we steamed away to the north-west for Mayotta. For several hours we could still see the island and the mainland by the glare of the burning grass on the hillsides; and these, for more than five years subsequently, were the last glimpses we had of Madagascar.

[32] See “The South-West Indian Ocean”; by J. C. F. Fryer; _The Geographical Journal_, September 1910; pp. 249-271.

SEELEY, SERVICE & CO., LIMITED, 38 GREAT RUSSELL STREET, LONDON, W.C.]

INDEX

Ambòdinangàvo, 70

Adàbo-tree, 252, 289, 299

_Æpyornis_, 213

Agave, the, 32

_Agy_, a stinging plant, 297

Alamazaotra, 63

Alaotra, Lake, 68, 174, 193, 197, 207

Alàtsinainy, 116

Algæ, species of, 200

_Aloe macroclada_, 90

Aloes and agaves, 91

Ambàhy, 270

Ambàtoharànana, 56, 109

Ambàtomànga, 72

Ambàtondrazàka, 178, 205

Ambàtovòry, 127

Ambinàny, chief, 237

Ambòdinònoka, 185

Ambòhidèhilàhy, 184

Ambòhijànahàry, 194

Ambòhimanàrina, 103

Ambòhimànga, 77, 105, 121, 205

Ambòhimiangàra, 209

“Ambòhimitsímbina,” 76

Ambòhinàmboàrina, 229

Ambòhipèno, 188, 253

Ambòhitròmby, 187

Ambòhitritankàdy, 120

Ambòhitsàra, 196

Ambòhitsitàkatra Mountains, 174

Ambòhitsòa, 201

Ambòndrombé Mountain, 234

Ambòro Mountain, 61

Ambòsitra, 230

_Amìana_, or tree-nettle, 122, 146

Ampàrafàravòla, 185, 188

Ampàsimbé, 57

Ampàsimpòtsy, 68

Anàlamazàotra Mountains, 175

Ancient towns and villages, 113

Andohàlo, 118

Andòvorànto, 45

Andraikìba, Lake, 215

Andrànokòbaka, 176

Andrànokòditra, 38

Andrìambàvibé, 64

_Andrìana_, 25

Andrìba Mountain, 289

_Andropogon contortus_, 190

Angàvo Mountains, 69, 71, 229

Angàvokèly Mountain, 71

_Angræcum_, orchid, 32

Animal life, ancient, 225

Animal life, peculiarity of, 66

Anìvona-palm, 276

Anjozòrobé, 174, 206

Ankàrana, 264

Ankàratra Mountain, 61, 77, 208, 219, 221

Ankay, plain of, 68, 127, 175

Ankèramadìnika, 71, 127

Ankìtsika, 195

Ànoròro, 205

Antanànarìvo, 73

Ant-hills, 176, 234

Ants, destruction by, 34

Ants’ nests, 130, 289

Antsèsika river, 222

Antsihànaka Province, 173

Antsìrabé, 101, 211

Antsìrabé plain, 219

_Apenthes madagascariensis_, 42

Aquatic fowl, 186

Arabic influence, 255, 309

_Ardea bubulcus_, 34

_Àrondòvy_, the, 251

Arums, Gigantic, 34, 253

Asabòtsy, market at, 116

_Astacoides madagasc._, 157

_Avara-patana_, or place of honour, 98

_Aviavy_, a species of _ficus_, 122

Aye-aye, the, 45

Ball-insect, 159

Bamboo, the, 49, 57, 65

Banana-trees, 49

Baobab-trees, 309

Bàra people, the, 233

Baron, Mr, 60, 127, 138, 200

Bats, 298

Bearers, our, 55, 228

Bee-eater, 170, 291

“Beefwood tree,” 41

Bees, the enemies of, 145

Bees, wild, 144

Beetles, 132, 154

Béfòrona, 59, 61, 175

Béhòsy, the, 147

Belemnites, 299

Bèmbatòka, Bay of, 77, 161, 307

Benyowski, Count, 235

Bétàfo, 208

Bétsibòka, River, 77, 174, 295

Bétsiléo province, 229

Bétsimitàtatra, 77, 92

Bétsimisàraka people, the, 43

Bezànozàno tribe, 6

Bird life, 63

Bird life, scant, 279

Birds, extinct gigantic, 213

Birds: parakeets, green pigeons, cardinal-birds, sun-birds, 32;
crows, 34;
egret, 34;
ducks and geese, 38;
storks, herons, 69;
rapacious, 82;
egret, 105;
crow, 105;
kingfisher, 105;
song, 137;
sun-birds, 137;
rollers, 138;
shrike, parrot, warbler, cuckoo, wood-pigeon, hawks, 138;
goat-sucker, 140;
owls, 140;
weaver-bird, 169;
bee-eater, 170;
birds on Lake Itàsy, 210;
parrots, 233;
Prevost’s broadbill, 281;
black parrots, 291;
bee-eater, 291;
fork-tailed shrike, 294;
fly-catcher, 293

Blow-pipe, native, 61

Boa, a, 44

Botanising in Madagascar, 128

“Bound-by-blood” ceremony, 235

_Brehmia spinosa_, 42

Bridges, 187, 194, 234, 238

_Buddleia madagasc._, 90

Buildings, modern, 99

Bull-baiting, 194

“Bullockers,” 20

Burial customs, 43

Butterflies, 110, 254

_Cærostris stygiana_, 162

_Cæsalpinia sepiaria_, 90

Camels, 308

Canals, 37

“Candle-nut-tree,” the, 158

Canoe chants, 271

Canoes, native, 33

Cape Lilac, 81

Cardinal-birds, 32

Carnivora, species of, 66, 167, 303

Carving in Bétsiléo, 230

_Cassia lævigata_, the, 90

_Cassis_, 36

Casuarina, the, 270

Caterpillars, 132

Caterpillars, a bag of, 130

Cattle rearing, 182, 195

_Centetes ecaudatus_, or tail-less tenrec, 167

Centetidæ, the, 278

Centipedes, 160

_Cercopis_ species, 91

Chameleons, 135, 288

Chameleonidæ, species of the, 135

Charms, 86, 249

_Cheirogaleus minor_, 243

Children, Hova, 122

Cicada, the, 171

Clay in building, use of, 96

_Clematis bojeri_, 101

Climate, 75

Climbing plants, 37, 142

Clothing of the Malagasy, 124

Coast-line, the, 36

Coffee, 51

Cold month, the, 124

Commelyna Madagasc., 89

Constellations, Malagasy names for, 125

_Conus_, 36

Convolvuli, 49

_Coraciadæ_, 138

_Coracopsis obscura_, 234

_Corvus scapulatus_, 34

Cory, Mr, 99

_Cosmaria_, 200

Couas, the, 170

Crabs, 35

Crater lakes, 215

Craters, extinct, 208

Crayfish, 157

Crocodiles, 294

Crocodiles of Lake Alaotra, 200

Crocodiles, superstitious dread of, 49

Crocodiles, extinct species of, 223

Crows, 34

Cryptogamic vegetation, 143

Custom, a curious, 194

Customs at the New Year, 88

Customs of the Sihànaka, 203

_Cycas thouarsii_, 41

Cyclones, 148

_Cynoglossum_, 101

_Cypræa_, 36

Dauphine, Fort, 232

Davidson, Dr, 74

Day, divisions of the, 93

Days, uniformity in the length of the, 92

“Death-moths,” 110

Death’s-head moth, 145

Deciduous trees, 125

_Delphinus pas_, 275

Dhows, 307

Dialects, Hova and Malagasy, 236

Dinner with the Governor, 191

Dishes and spoons, primitive, 268

Dolphins, 275

Doorways, Bétsiléo, 236

Dracæna, 289

Dragonflies, 108

Dress, children’s, 125

Dress, Sihànaka, 202

Drury, Robert, 183

Dry season, the, 113

Dye from trees, 158

Earthquake, 224

Earthworms, enormous, 112, 155

Ebony, 159

Eels, 107

_Èfitra_, or desert, 289

Eggs of the _Æpyornis_, 213

Egret, white, 105

Egyptian kite, the, 83

_Eleocarpus sericeus_, leaves of, 158

Embankments, 78

Eucalyptus, cultivation of, 125

Euphorbia, the, 60, 125

_Euryceros prevosti_, 281

_Fàhitra_, or pens for oxen, 121

_Famòa_, 179

_Fànataovana_, or lucky heaps, 155

Fauna and flora, 17

Feather-bellows, 156

Félana, or decoration, 233

Ferns, 59, 128, 157

Fianàrantsòa, 232

Fibres, for rope, 158

_Filanjàna_, the, 18, 24

Fire, method of producing, 151

Fireflies, 271, 284

Firing the grass, 82

Fish, 39;
octopus, 40;
mullet, 40;
prawns and shrimps, 40;
shark, 40;
saw-fish, 40;
dolphins, 275, 303

Fishing, 196

Fishing eagle, 310

“Fitomanìanòmby,” 63

Flamingoes, 210

Flora: orchids, 32;
arums, 34;
palms, 37;
climbing plants, 37;
ferns, 38;
tangèna, 38;
sago palms, 41;
_Filào_, 41;
_Brehmia spinosa_, 42;
_Hibiscus_, 42;
_Stephanotis_, 42;
_Ipomæa_, 42;
pitcher-plant, 42;
gum-copal, 42;
india-rubber, 42;
bamboo, sugar-cane, manioc, banana, palms, pandanus, water-lilies,
palms, convolvuli, traveller’s tree, 49;
raspberries, 51;
coffee, 51;
lace-leaf plant, 53;
bamboo, 57;
tree-ferns, 57;
pine-apples, 57;
_rofìa_-palm, 58;
ferns, 59;
euphorbias, 60;
orchids, 64;
bamboo, 65;
rice, 79;
Cape lilac, 81;
vine, 81;
euphorbia, 81;
orchids, 101;
indigenous plants, 127;
ferns, orchids, 128;
grasses and ferns, 128;
palms, 142;
climbing plants, 142;
cryptogamic vegetation, 143;
mosses and lichens, 143;
fungi, 144;
spiny plants, 145;
stinging plants, 146;
ferns, 157;
valuable trees, 158;
Tamarind-trees, 295

Flowers, comparative scarcity of, 64

Fly-catchers, 295

Food, curious articles of, 106

Food, articles of, 23

Forest, stillness of the, 60, 65, 277

Fòsa, the, 302

Fosses, 119

Fossils, 212

Foundry, native, 156

Fragrance of wild plants, 178

French invasion, the, 28

Frigate-birds, 255

Frogs, 152

Fruit-bats, 298

Funeral, a heathenish, 276

Funeral memorial, a, 268

Funerals, expensive, 203

Fungi, 144

Furniture, 98

Games, 122

Gates of stone, 119

Geese, 186

“General Hàzo” and “General Tàzo,” 28

Geological formations, quartz, red sandstone, 39, 53

Goat-sucker, the, 140

Goudot, M., 91

Grainge, Mr, and the cattle, 287

Granaries, 54

Grandidier, Alfred, 17, 169, 235

Grasses and rushes, 128, 178, 191, 201, 206

Grass, firing the, 72, 73

“Grave of the French,” 42

Guinea-fowl, 186

Gum-copal tree, 37, 42

Gums and resins, 158

Hail, 86

Hair-dressing, 252, 258

_Hàmby_, the, 311

_Hapalemur simus_, 243

Hawks, 84

_Hàzondràno_, or rush, 108

Hearth, the, 97

_Hèrana_, the, 108

Herons, 69, 312

_Hibiscus_, 42

_Hibiscus diversifolius_, 90

Hills, outline of, 52

Hippopotamus, extinct, 212

Hippopotamus Lemerlei, 212

Hivòndrona, 32

Hoar-frost, 113

Hooker, Sir W. J., 54

Horned memorial poles, 182

Hospitality of the Malagasy, 41

Hot springs, 53

Houlder, Mr, and the boa, 44

Houses, native, 23, 70, 236

“House-horns,” 97

Hovas, 299

Humped duck, 186

Iàboràno, 268

Iàritsèna, 232

Iatsìfitra volcano, 224

Ice, 92

Ifànja marsh, 225

Ifòdy Hills, 69

Ihàroka river, 45, 48

Ihòvana, chieftainess, 282

Ikòngo, 235

Ikòpa river, 76, 286, 291

Imàhazòny, 236

Imèrina, 71

India-rubber, 42, 158

Indigenous plants, 128

Insect life, 65, 279

Insectivora, species of, 67

Insects: ants, 34;
cockroaches, 38, 43;
a new spider, 43;
beauty of, 70;
spiders, 71;
water-producing, 91;
black wasp, 99;
silkworm moth, 109;
butterflies, 110;
grasshoppers, 111;
mantis, 112;
dog-locust, 112;
nests, 130;
ants, 131;
beetles, 132;
caterpillars, 132;
spiders, 133;
mantis religiosa, 153;
grasshoppers, 153;
beetles, 154;
ball-insect, 159;
millipedes, centipedes, scorpions, 160;
venomous spiders, 162;
protective resemblance, 164, 280;
mòkafòhy, 289

Intelligence of the people, 56

Inundations, damage by, 78

Iòlomàka, 237

Ipomæa, 42, 101

Iron, 156

Irrigation, 80

Isoàvina, 110

Itàsy, Lake, 208

Itsìatòsika, 275

Ivàlokiànja, 236

Ivàtoàvo, 232

Ivòhibé Mountain, 259

Ivòhitràmbo, 283

Ivòhitròsa, 237, 241

Ivòko volcano, 224

Jacanas, 211

_Jàka_, 50

Jigger, the, 161

_Jìro_, or memorial poles, 203

Johnson, Rev. H. T., 107

_Jorèry_ or cicada, 277

_Kabàry_ or National Assembly, 117

_Kankàfotra_, or cuckoo, 82

_Kànkandoròka_, a species of worm, 277

_Karàbo_, the, 259

Kestrel, the, 83

_Kètsa_ grounds, 79, 80

“King-butterfly,” 110

Kingfisher, 105

_Kinòly_, the, 159

Kiròmbo roller, 138

_Kòlikòly_, or after-crop, 304

Komàngo-tree, 299

Lace-leaf plant, 53

Ladders, primitive, 54

Lagoons, 36, 273

Lake-dwellers, 173

Lakes and marshes, anciently a country of, 22

_Làmba_, the, 25, 58, 62, 109

Land-shells, 136

_Landolphia Madagas._, 42

_Làpa_, or Government House, 179

Le Sage, Captain, 59

Leeches, 157

_Lemur Catta_, 243

_Lemur mongos_, 45

Lemuroid animals, extinct, 222, 226

Lemuroida, species of, 66

Lemurs, 45, 66, 67, 168

Lichens, 116, 143

Lightning, freaks played by, 85, 87

Lilìa, river, 209

Lime deposit, 211

Lizards, 43, 134

Lizards, extinct species of, 223

Locusts, 73

_Longòzy_ plant, the, 249

Looms, primitive, 58

Madagascar, 19;
its ancient connection with Africa, 67

Madagascar bee, the, 144

Màhamànina, 257

Màhavèlona, 259

Major, Dr Forsyth, 278

Malarial fever, 42

Mammalia, 66

Mammals, species of, 278

_Mampìta-hàdy_, or fosse-crosser, 109

Manàkambahìny, 185

Mànanàra river, 174, 295

Mànanjàra river, 275, 281

Mandànivàtsy, 207

Mandràka river, 71

Mandràka Valley, 142

Màngasoàvina, 289

Mango-trees, 81

Mangòro river, 69

Màningòry river, 174, 193

Manioc, 49

_Mantidactylus_ genus of frogs, 153

Mantis, a curious, 112

_Mantis religiosa_, 153

Market day, 181

Markets, 116

Màrokalòy, 290

Maròmby, 51

_Maromita_, or porters, 24, 30

Màrosalàzana, 202

Màrovoày, 304

Marshes, 108

Màsindràno, 275

Màtitànana river, 240, 295

Matthey, M. C., 111

Mats, Sihànaka, 185

Mead, 145

Medicinal waters, 212

Medicine from trees, 158

_Melia azederach_, 81

Memorial poles, 203, 231

_Merops superciliosus_, 170

_Mesites_, 211

Mèvatanàna, 225, 292

Millipedes, 160

Mimicry amongst plants, 155

Mineral wealth of the country, 57

_Mitra_, 36

Mojangà, 285, 307

_Mòkafòhy_, insect, 288, 300

Money, 117

Months, origin of names of, 88

Moraféno, 187

Mòramànga, 68

Mòraràno, 187, 193

Mortar and pestle, the, 97

Mosses, 143

Moths, 109

Mouse-lemurs, 243

Mozambique Channel, 67

_Mugil borbonicus_, 40

Mullens, Dr, 31, 173

Mullet, 40

_Mundulea suberosa_, the, 90

Mungooses, 303

Musical instruments, 56

Mysore thorn, the, 146

Mythical creatures of Lake Alaotra, 201

Nàndihìzana, 229

Native houses, structure of, 95

_Nectarinidæ_ or sun-birds, 32

Neodrepanis coruscans, 137

_Nephila_ spider, 109

Nest of the aye-aye, 47

Nests of insects, 130

Nests of wasps, 99

New Year, Malagasy, 87

Nòsibé, 224

Obstructions in rivers and paths, 51

Ocean currents, 39

Octopus, 40, 312

_Oliva_, 36

_Opuntia ferox_, 145

Oranges, 51

Orchards, 81

Orchids: angræcum, 32, 38, 64;
terrestrial, 101, 212

Ordeals, 251

Ornamentation, female, 240

Outrigger canoes, 304

_Ouvirandra fenestralis_, 53

Owen, Sir R., 45

Owls, 140

Ox, extinct species of, 223

Oxen, 35, 183

Oysters, 311

Paddles, native, 34

Palms, 142

Pandanus, the, 32, 37, 49

_Papàngo_, or Egyptian kite, 83

Parakeets, 32, 233, 291

Parrots, 233, 291

Paths, forest, 150

Pearse, Rev. J., 191

_Pelophilus madagasc._, 44

Pigeons, 32

Pillans, Rev. J., 173

Pine-apples, 57

Pitcher-plant, 42, 261

Plant, Mr, 22, 67

_Ploceus pensilis_, 169

Poison ordeal, the, 38

Poison tree, a, 38

Poisonous fish, 40

Pollen, M., 137

_Potamochærus larvatus_, 136

Prawns and shrimps, 40

Prevost’s broadbill, 281

Prickly pear, 90, 119

_Pristis sp._, 40

Proctor, S., 22

Protective mimicry, 111, 153, 164, 280

Psittacula Madagasc., 233

Pulpit, a decorated, 253

Pumice from Krakatoa, 38

Quadrumana, 66

Quadrupeds, 167

Radàma I., 37

Radàma II., 38

Rail, 211

_Railòvy_, or fork-tailed shrike, 294

Railways, 18

Rain, 81, 85, 100

_Rallus gularis_, 211

Rànavàlona I., 38

Rànavàlona, Queen, 87

Rànomafàna, 53

Rapacious birds, 83

Rapèto, chief, 210

Raphia ruffia, 62

_Ràry_, or war-chant, 98

Raspberries, 51, 242

Rats, 54, 59

_Ravenala madagasc._, 49

Rayed Gymnogene, the, 84

Religious observances, 250

Reptiles: snakes, 134;
lizards, 134;
chameleons, 135;
ancient, 226

Rest-houses, 33

Rice cultivation, 77, 79, 92, 103, 106, 177, 195, 263

Rice cultivation in Bétsiléo, 230

Rice-houses, 241

Ring-tailed lemur, 243

River-hog, extinct species of, 223

Rivers, 36

Roads and pathways, 27

Rocks, 223, 233, 292, 298

_Rofìa_-palm, 31, 56, 58, 62

_Rofìa_ cloth, 57

_Ròva_, or square, 26, 179, 305

Rollers (_Coraciadæ_), 138

Rose-apple, the, 91

Rum drinking, 176

Sago palms, 41

Ste Marie, Isle, 42

Sàkalàva, 176, 299

_Salàka_, or loin-cloth, 55

_Sàmpy_, or household charm, 98

Sanatoria, 127

Sand-bars, 36

Sand-grouse, 291

Sandalwood, 159

Sawfish, 40

Scenery, 41

Scenery of the coast, 37

Scorpions, 160

Screw-pine, 250

Sea-birds, 256

Seasons, the, 75

Serpents, 43

Shark, the hammer-headed, 40

Shaw, Mr G. A., 235

Shells, 35;
_Conus_, _Triton_, _Cypræa_, _Oliva_, _Mitra_, _Cassis_, 36

Shrimps, 107

Sihànaka, the, 173, 184, 195, 203

Silk, spiders’, 109

_Sìmpona_, species of lemur, 169

_Siòna_, 159

Sloth, extinct species of, 223

Smelting stations, 156

Snakes, 43, 44

Snare for birds, 185

Snow, absence of, 113

_Solanum auriculatum_, 125

Solitary wasps, 100

_Sòngosòngo_, the, 146

_Sopubia triphylla_, 101

Spade, the native, 79

Sphærotheria, 160

Spiders, 43, 71, 133, 162, 165

Spiny and prickly plants, 145

Springtime, 79

Stephanotis, 42

Stinging plants, 146

Storks, 69

Street, Mr Louis, 228

Stribling, Rev. E. H., 192

Striped tenrec, 167

Sugar-cane, 49

Sugar-cane press, a, 262

Summer, 84

Sun-birds, 32, 137

Sunsets, beautiful, 123

Swine, extinct species of, 223

Taimòro tribe, the, 273

Taisàka, the, 262

Tàkatra, or stork, 69

Tamarind-trees, 295

Tamatave, 21;
governor of, 24;
garrison, 26

Tanàla, the, 147, 245, 249, 250

Tangèna, the, 38

Tanòsy country, a village in the, 163

Tèlomiràhavàvy, 71

_Terminalia catappa_, or “Indian almond,” 273

Terraced hills, 230

Threshing rice, 195

Thunderstorms, 84

Timber, valuable, 158

Time, division of, 87, 93

Tin cans on memorial poles, 183

Tins, old jam, 192

_Tsìrika_ or blow-pipe, 61

_Tòkan-tòngotra_, 159

Tombs in Bétsiléo, 231, 283

Tombs, Hova, 72, 114

Tortoises, 201, 301

Tortoises, extinct, 223

_Trachylobium verrucosa_, 42

_Tràndraka_ or hedgehog, 167

Trànomàro, 35

Trap-door spiders, 165

Traveller’s tree, 49, 257, 260

Travelling in Madagascar, 28, 229

Tree-duck, 186

Tree-ferns, 57

Tree-frogs, 153

Trees, introduction of new, 125

_Triton_, 36

Trìtrìva, Lake, 215, 220

Tropic-birds, 256

_Tsikòndry_, the, 280

_Tsingàla_, the, 107

Twilight, 92

_Typhonodorum lindleyanum_, 34

Vàkinankàratra, 208

Valàla river, 69

Valàlanambòa, or dog-locust, 112

_Valìha_, the, 56

Vangàindràno, 261

Variety of face and colour, 56

_Vàtolàhy_, or “male stones,” 116

Vàvavàto district, the, 161, 219

Vavòny, 41

_Vazìmba_, the, 114, 227, 289

Vegetation, 41, 239

Vehicles, 27

_Véro_, 178

_Vérontsànjy_, 178

_Vernonia appendiculata_, 80

Village squares, 61

Villages, 73

Villages, old style, 119

Vine, the, 81

_Vinca angivensis_, the, 89-90

_Vinca rosea_, 90

Vinson, Dr, 162

Visit of ceremony, a, 24

Vòhilèna, 284

Vòhitra volcano, 215

Volcanic belt, 224

Volcanoes, extinct, 215

Vòlombòrona Mountain, 219

Vòromahèry or hawk, 84

Ungulata, species of, 67

Unhealthiness of the coast, 42

Unlucky days, 205, 247

Uranid butterfly, 281

_Usnea_, 65, 143

Walking-stick mantis, 280

Wallace, Dr A. R., 64

Wasp, black, 99

Water conveyances, 282

Water-courses, 79

Waterfalls, 152, 242

Water-hens, 210

Water-lilies, 49, 201

Water-plants, 201, 281

Water-pots, 97

Water-producing insects, 91

Water-snakes, 134

Water yam or lace-leaf plant, 53

Weapons, ancient, 227

Weaver-bird, 169

Webs, spiders’, 108, 163, 166

Whales, 275

Wheeled vehicles, 274

Whistling teal, 186

White-backed duck, the, 186

White lemur, a, 146

Wild boar or river-hog, 136

Wild duck on Lake Itàsy, 210

Wild fowl, 185

Wild man, a, 147

Windows, absence of, 45

Winds, prevailing, 73

Winter, 113

Words denoting different appearances of nature, 95

Yams, wild, 152

_Zàhitra_, or raft, a, 247

Zànatsàra clan, 218

Zomèna, Chief, 235

_Zozòro_, the, 108

_Zygæna malleus_, 40

THE RIVERSIDE PRESS LIMITED, EDINBURGH

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE

Obvious typographical, punctuation and accenting errors have been
corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within
the text and consultation of external sources.

Some hyphens in words have been silently removed, some added,
when a predominant preference was found in the original book.

Except for those changes noted below, all misspellings in the text,
and inconsistent or archaic usage, have been retained.

Pg 16 List of Maps: the ‘Physical’ map was moved in front of
the ‘Ethnographical’ map, with page numbers of 16 and 17
respectively.
Pg 38: ‘hartstongue fern’ replaced by ‘hart’s-tongue fern’.
Pg 53: ‘at Pamplemouses’ replaced by ‘at Pamplemousses’.
Pg 94: ‘1.3 (P.M.)’ replaced by ‘1.30 (P.M.)’.
Pg 98: ‘and wearing’ replaced by ‘and weaving’.
Pg 110: ‘called Centelidæ’ replaced by ‘called Centetidæ’.
Pg 149 Footnote [13]: ‘indebted to the the’ replaced by
‘indebted to the’.
Pg 191: ‘as the _lòpa_’ replaced by ‘as the _làpa_’.
Pg 229: ‘of Ambòsita’ replaced by ‘of Ambòsitra’.
Pg 241: ‘tree miles across’ replaced by ‘three miles across’.
Pg 243: ‘Cheirgaleus major’ replaced by ‘Cheirogaleus major’.
Pg 272: ‘Agræcum superbum’ replaced by ‘Angræcum superbum’.
Pg 274: ‘that that was a’ replaced by ‘that there was a’.

Index: the spelling of some entries has been changed to match the
spelling in the main text. Many accents have been added to match
the accenting in the main text.