Early on Thursday afternoon we came down to a river, called Màrokalòy, where our bearers wished us to encamp, but we feared both mosquitoes and consequent malaria in such a situation, and ascended a low hill about a hundred and fifty feet above the river. Here we pitched our tents, and after arranging for the night sat down to our evening meal round a mat in the bright moonlight. It was a very picturesque scene: the brilliant moon and the four chief planets shining resplendently; our group of men near the tents lighted up by the ruddy glare of the cooking fires; while down below, the greater body of our men had encamped and had a score or two of fires blazing under the dark shade of fine large trees. The night was so warm that there was no inconvenience sitting out of doors, while in the tents it soon grew so hot that we were glad to keep out of them as long as possible. But what surprised us most was the almost entire absence of mosquitoes; for there was no garden in Imèrina where one could sit for five minutes at such an hour without being soon informed of the presence of these tiny pests. It must, however, be added that for an hour or two before sunset, and for a little after it also, the _mòkafòhy_ were extremely numerous and annoying. They persecuted us incessantly while encamping, but happily, unlike their namesakes,[31] they retire at dark. By a merciful dispensation of providence they do not bite at night. After our _al fresco_ meal, Mr Street and I descended to the river and enjoyed a delicious bathe. The following morning we were up early, but the _mòkafòhy_ were up before us and made it a misery to do anything immediately we emerged from the tent. Getting breakfast was therefore disposed of in a very short space of time, for mouth, nostrils, and eyes got full of these detestable little flies; one could not eat, and we hurried the children into their palanquins and got off as fast as was possible. The name of this pretty valley (Màrokalòy = “Many _alòy_”) ought to have warned us, as _alòy_ is the proper name of the insect, and this place seems to be their head-quarters. The scenery and the route continued to be as pleasant and as easy as before; every hollow was filled with vegetation of a tropical character, and streams of bright water crossed our path every few hundred yards. [Sidenote: ABUNDANT BIRD LIFE]