When standing on the lofty height overlooking Lake Itasy, we looked to the north and west over a large number of strange hills. Mr. Sewell had said that in his judgment, old volcanoes were to be found in this neighbourhood: and it was clear to us as we stood on this commanding position together, that the craters were before us. One of them, named Ambóhitrondry, was of great height and width; outside it on the east was a second, nearly circular; and a third hung on to that. Beyond these to the north were two craters of moderate size, one of them double. And beyond these again numerous others. Some were hollow craters; others were cones of beautiful shape: and all were richly clothed with grass. At our second station nearer the lake we were close to a lofty crater called, Mángaháfa, and could look into it. Behind Moratsiázo was another, Isáhadimy: and to the west of this, another Támpóly, with a fine figure of a sleeping lion at the top. All these we carefully noted, and placed in our maps.
The district on which they stand lies immediately west of Lake Itasy: and it struck us that the eruption of these volcanoes, by elevating the land, had barred the way of the original river, had submerged the level plain through which it flowed, and formed the Lake. The waters must have been high, until they found an outlet on the north and west in the channel of the present stream.
Passing on to our next resting-place, the town of Mahatsinjo, we went under the slopes of Ambóhitrondry and crossed two lines of lava which had streamed from it in its active days. A short distance on we passed through a cutting in the lava stream: which had a depth of twenty feet. To the south of this cutting we had four grassy cones, and at their foot a small lake, Kazanga, a mile long and half a mile broad. Three streams run into it from the east and south; its outlet is on the west, where the water has cut its way through a thick bed of lava pebbles. On the following day we ascended a lofty hill, a little to the north of Mahatsinjo, named Ambóhimailála, and found that it was a lava cone. It gave us a fine prospect of the country. There were other cones and craters to the north, amongst which was Gasgea, one of the noblest in the group. And on a lower level of the land, were several others, of which, later in the day, we visited two, perfectly circular craters, with dirty greenish lakes at the bottom. On continuing our journey to the south, we passed several others. Altogether we counted forty cones and craters in this district of which we were sure. Some were of enormous size, with lofty walls, conspicuous for many miles: others were small. Many were of horse-shoe shape: a few were circular. There were numerous little lakes and bowls among them: of which the largest was Lake Kazanga, which we believe no Englishmen have seen hitherto. The country is strewn with lava. Here and there it appears in huge blocks and its pieces are heavy: or it lies in layers, at times perfectly even, at times twisted like dough. Vast quantities have the little crystals of olivine in their tiny cells. The spongy lava and pumice have disappeared. The colour of the lava was in some masses a bright black: in others a pale lead colour: all over this district brown earth and mud are abundant: and they form a soil very different from the gritty red clay, the common soil of the island. Here and there we saw conical heaps of these lava stones, piled up by the people, who attach to them a superstitious reverence. We saw more of the volcanic system at a later period in this journey.
Mahatsinjo we found to be no common town. It stands on a spur of a long clay ridge, the upper part of which is overlaid by the lava; and is a place of some importance. It contains three hundred houses, many of them large and built of wood with reed-panels. The houses stand on “terrace upon terrace” cut into the slope of the hill. The rova or government house is a substantial dwelling. The population is unusually numerous, and reaches to probably eighteen hundred: we were told there were in the place a thousand children. As with their neighbours in this Mandridrano district, the people are well to do in the world: their cattle are numerous and rice and corn are cheap. Below Mahatsinjo on the south stretches a wide and level rice valley, supplied with abundance of water: the whole is under careful cultivation and its volcanic soil must produce enormous crops.
The town occupies an important position. Far richer in resources than Miádanamanjáka, it is the real capital of the Mándridráno district: it is surrounded by cultivated fields and has near it numerous villages. Indeed the district seems to have gathered a population of its own, settled in its choicest spots, and very much separated from their neighbours in Imamo. It illustrates the way in which Madagascar (even yet but partially occupied) has been peopled, and in which the various sections of one race have grown up independently of one another. There is abundance of Christian work to be done in the district, and Mahatsinjo will prove an admirable centre for that work, with several sub-centres around it. Mr. Sewell felt with us that it would be well worth while for the Friends to place an English missionary here. The people gave us a warm welcome: they eagerly attended Mr. Sewell’s Bible classes and services: and earnestly requested that one of us would stay and live amongst them.
Behind the hill on which Mahatsinjo stands is another broad level, covered with rice fields, and having many little clusters of houses (like the Betsileo válás) dotting its surface and the roots of its bordering hills; and in their midst the little town of Ambálaváto. This level lies below the Imerina plain and forms part of the first terrace toward the west. With it the population comes to an end: for one day’s journey beyond scattered houses may be found; then for three days a traveller must sleep in tents and carry his supplies with him. The district reached is a veritable Noman’s land, with the Sakalava tribes on the farther side. The severity of their ancient raids upon Hova crops and Hova cattle has prevented quiet people from attempting to occupy the vacant territory. From the lofty heights of Ambóhimailála, we looked for more than twenty miles across the plains of red clay. They were deeply cut and scored with little valleys: and at a distance were long and lofty ridges running north and south. One of these Bóngoláva (“long heaps”) denoting a long ridge with numerous boulders, is said to be visible from the west coast: and three lofty peaks, Ampanána, Sapila, and Ivohibe, form conspicuous landmarks for recording the geography of this region.
Both at Mahatsinjo and farther south, we heard much of an important town on the farther side of Noman’s Land, named Mánandáza (“the glorious”). It was described to us as a place as large as Mahatsinjo and as populous. It is among the friendly Sákalávas, and is occupied by a Hova garrison. “A good traveller may reach it in five days: a man driving cattle will take a week.” This would indicate that the distance from Mahatsinjo must be about seventy miles. Judging from our later journeys I should imagine that the town will be found on one of the rivers running from here to the westward, (probably on the Kitsamby) at the point where it quits the hills to cross the lower plains to the sea. It must be seventy miles from the west coast. There is a large church in the town: and the Hova Christians have one excellent preacher among them. Few of the Sakalavas are Christians.
After spending several pleasant days in this district, on Wednesday, April 22d, we turned southward, with a view to visit the mission station of Antoby and thence go on to Betafo. Hitherto we had travelled to a large extent along the line of the Imerina valleys. Now we were to cross them; and as they run out from Ankárat westward, are numerous and often deep, we had rather a wearisome time until we had passed over the clay country and had left it behind us. We passed many noble hills on the way. Vinany, a grand towering hill of gneiss, proved an excellent observing station and gave us a fine prospect of the country. Under another noble hill, Antsárabé, the river Kitsamby comes down from the roots of Tsi-áfakáfo. We found it a fine stream; two hundred feet broad, three and a half feet deep, with a current of two and a half miles an hour: the water was thick and brown with clay. Looking up stream we saw that the river flows through a fine gorge between lofty ridges. To the west it passes over rapids at the foot of a gneiss hill, and far out on the plains, it receives the waters of several streams and then flows round the south end of the great ridge of Sapilá fifteen miles away.
Climbing again to the level of the plain, up a long basin beautifully cut out of the clay, we crossed successively the Sahomby, which flows out from the Lake of Vinánynóny: then other small streams: then the Sáhasáhatra which drains the north side of the Vava Vato; a rapid river, a hundred feet broad, which has cut through everything to the primitive rock. A lofty hill, Ambohitrolona, gave us a fine prospect of the Kitsamby river and the western plains: and brought under our eye the first of the Hova military stations, under the Sapila range. Another river of clear, sparkling water, the Nangalána, next crossed our road; followed by a smaller stream deeply coloured with clay: when, tired with our three days’ climbing up and down these numerous valleys we safely reached the Antoby Mission-house, on Friday afternoon.
The kind welcome of our friends Mr. and Mrs. Clemes soon made us forget our troubles: and with quiet Sabbath services we enjoyed in a double way a sense of rest. There is no town at Antoby. The Mission is planted in the midst of small villages, and has many others of greater or less importance at various distances, as out-stations. We had already passed several of these and saw others during our visit. At the same time we thought that the sphere of labour is a limited one; the working of it involves a great deal of toil: and it is only peculiar circumstances, that suggested the position and that are best controlled by an English missionary’s personal influence, which justify the appropriation of a missionary even for a limited time, when larger spheres are open to him. The Mission-house is a most modest dwelling, simply and neatly furnished; and though too small, more completely realises my idea of a country Mission-house than others which I have seen.