The first portion of our journey on Thursday led us into a fine cluster of villages and churches on the edge of the great northern moor, and three hours distant from Ambohimanga: and here our men rested for their morning meal. Resuming our road we soon left all population behind. The moor was high, bare and cold. It was not a level; but was scored into lines of low hills, the forms of which were full of beauty. We crossed the Zabo, the fountains of which we had seen among the round hills of Ambátovóry and Angavokely, many miles to the south-east: it has a strong, full stream of water and is one of the four chief tributaries which form the Betsiboka river. All day on these high lands the south-east wind blew hard and cold, and our poor bearers suffered greatly. At five o’clock we reached Ambatomainty, a village of twelve houses, but without house or chapel in which we could rest. Our tent was soon set up; and bravely stood the wild wind which blew all night. And when we were fairly enclosed, and the tea-table was duly arranged (on three overland trunks) we felt snug and comfortable. On Friday morning a thick fog lay on the hills and we could scarcely see our road. When it lifted we saw on the east of the Ambatomainty ridge a long, unbroken valley coming from the moors on the south-east and going away north-west, full of rice, and drained by the Tsárasáhatra, which, like the Zabo, has its springs in the buttresses of Angavokely. At this point both rivers are small. Near by are two small villages, Mangatany with one of our churches; and Andrainarivo, with a Roman Catholic chapel. Then came three beautiful patches of wood; “Boulder Glen;” and a small stream with two cascades. High hills, covered with wood showed themselves to the east. After a journey of fifteen miles over a country thoroughly bare and unpeopled, we mounted a lofty hill, Ambóhitsitâkatra, which gave us a fine prospect on every side. We fixed its position, with ease, by bearings from seven of the principal hills of Imerina: and made it the starting point of new positions to the north and west. On the west we had the deep valleys of Anátivólo: and the high hill of Vohiléna. On the south-east was the lofty cone of Ambóhitrakóholáhy, above the Beforona Wall: and to the east lay a great gneiss ridge covered with forest, which forms the western boundary of Ankay. One interesting feature of our position was this. The gneiss hill on which we stood is on the watershed of the island: it forms part of the edge of the great granite moors, which go south to Angavokely: and beneath us on the east, was a broad basin, scored in all directions, a portion of that vast sedimentary clay region, which forms Ankay. It looked like network. This basin is drained by the river Mananára; it is enclosed between gneiss ridges: is full of rice fields and has a large cluster of villages. Early in the afternoon we reached the village of Anjozorobé; and took up our quarters in its neat chapel.