CHAPTER XXII

TO SÀKALÀVA LAND AND THE NORTH-WEST 285

North-West Route to the Coast—River Embankments—Mission Stations—A Lady Bricklayer—In a Fosse with the Cattle—An Airy Church on a Stormy Night—A Strange Chameleon—The “Short” Mosquitoes—Ant-hills and Serpents—A Sacred Tree—Andrìba Hill and Fort—An Evening Bath and a Hasty Breakfast—Parakeets, Hoopoes, and Bee-eaters—The Ikòpa Valley—Granite Boulders —Mèvatanàna: a Birdcage Town—We form an Exhibition for the Natives—Our Canoes—Crocodiles—Shrikes and Fly-catchers —Tamarind-trees—Camping Out—The “Agy” Stinging Creeper—River Scenery—Fan-palms—Scaly Reptiles and Beautiful Birds —Fruit-eating and Other Bats—Secondary Rocks—Sparse Population—The Sàkalàva Tribes—A Vile-smelling Tree