[25] The Vazìmba, the supposed earliest inhabitants of the interior, are said to have not known the use of iron, but to have had spears made of the hard, wiry bark of the Anìvona palm, and to have employed arrow-heads made of burnt clay. No flint weapons have yet been discovered in Madagascar. CHAPTER XVIII SOUTHWARDS TO BÉTSILÉO AND THE SOUTH-EAST COAST A few years ago I was invited by the Friends’ Foreign Missionary Association to accompany one of their missionaries, Mr Louis Street, on a journey to some of the southern portions of Madagascar. The object of this journey was twofold: firstly, to visit the scattered Christian congregations connected with the London Missionary Society, and to preach to and teach the people; and secondly, to gain some more accurate information as to the geography and physical features of the south-eastern provinces, and the dialects and customs of the different tribes inhabiting those parts of the great island. At that period (in the seventies) Madagascar was still unmapped and only very partially explored. A very large proportion of the country was still a _terra incognita_; so that missionary journeys away from the neighbourhood of the capital had all the charm of novelty and exploration. Its physical geography, its geology, and its botany and natural history were all practically unknown; so I looked forward with intense interest to seeing new provinces and new people; nor was I disappointed in this expectation. Like all journeys in Madagascar until about twelve years ago, this one was made by the native conveyance, the _filanjàna_ or light palanquin (see Chapters II. and III.), and also, as will be seen, by frequent voyages in canoes. And although _filanjàna_ travelling, like all sublunary things, had its drawbacks, I always enjoyed that mode of getting over the ground. But in setting off on a journey which was to last for several weeks, it was not always easy to get started. You might engage your men for two or three weeks beforehand; you might advance money to keep a hold on them; you might even induce them to deposit a small sum with you as security; but one was never quite sure that every man had arrived, and was going along with you, until one had got clear away at least half-a-day’s journey. All sorts of excuses would be made, or no reason at all be given, especially if the journey was to be through a part of the island not often traversed. The bearers were easily hired, but not so easily _secured_. One man not turning up, another would go to seek for him, and he, in turn, would have to be hunted for by his companions. [Sidenote: TRAVELLING IN MADAGASCAR]