Soon after four o’clock we mounted the last low ridge, and Ambàtondrazàka lay before us, about a mile and a half distant. The town, which consisted of about four hundred houses, is situated on a low peninsula projecting from the hills on the southern side of the plain. It had a pleasant, civilised appearance after the wretched huts we had seen for the last two or three days. A broad road running down from the hill seemed to divide the town into two pretty nearly equal parts. West of this road a large substantial chapel showed out conspicuously, and on the opposite side was the square palisaded enclosure called the _ròva_, filled with the houses of the Hova officers and soldiers who formed the garrison of the place. At the north-east corner of the enclosure the _làpa_, or government house, a two-storeyed building surrounded by verandahs, stood out prominent above the rows of smaller houses. We soon established ourselves inside the chapel, which was well built of clay walls with brick gables, ninety feet long by thirty-six broad, with good doors and windows, all well finished. The walls were smoothly plastered and whitened, and the floor was covered with fine mats, all sewn together. [Sidenote: A VISIT TO THE GOVERNOR] Sending in our letters of introduction to the Governor, we were in a few minutes invited to go over and see him. Passing through the double lines of palisading and the rows of Hova houses, we came to the _làpa_, inside an inner enclosure of its own. Entering the large room on the ground floor, we found the Governor waiting to receive us. His chief officers and the civil authorities were seated round two sides of the room, and a number of the lower class squatted on the floor on the third side, while on the fourth side three chairs were placed for us. As soon as we were seated, the Governor, a tall elderly man, receiving us most cordially, addressed us with a formal speech, after the custom of the Malagasy officials to anyone who came from the capital; and as this may serve as an example of the way in which we were received in all the principal places, I will give it pretty fully; it was in the following form:—“Since you, gentlemen, have come from the capital, we ask of you, How is Queen Rànavàlona, sovereign of the land? How is Rainibaiàrivòny, Prime Minister, protector of the kingdom? How is our father, Rainingòry (the oldest officer in the army, nearly a hundred years old)? How is Rainimàharàvo, Chief Secretary of State, chief of the officers of the palace? How is Rabé (son of the preceding)? How is the kingdom of Ambòhimànga and Antanànarìvo (the ancient and modern capitals)? How are ‘the-under-the-heaven’ (the people, the subjects)? How are you, our friends? And how is your fatigue after your journey?” etc. To these inquiries I, as interpreter to the expedition, gravely replied _seriatim_, saying that her Majesty was well, that the Prime Minister was well, etc., etc., and then inquired how the Governor and his