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ClIAP. XI. VISIT TO THE HOT SPRINGS. 299 after leaving the river where the natives of the place had warned us against the crocodiles, we crossed another river, wide, shallow, and clear, flowing over smooth, rounded quartz pebbles. Large blocks of quartz were here scattered over the surface of the country, which was overgrown with tufts of a small rush, or round, tough, wiry grass. Having crossed as many as eight rivers during the day, we arrived in the evening at the village of Eanomafana, — literally Hot-water, — so called on account of some hot springs in the neighbour hood. As soon as my palanquin had been taken into the house, I set out with my bearers to visit the springs. After proceeding about half a mile we crossed a river, and on the opposite side found the water bubbling up through the sandy soil, within a few feet of the stream. The ground was strewed with shining particles, and the course of the water from several crevices, was marked with a ferruginous deposit. The water which issued from the chasm was quite hot to the touch, and on placing the thermometer, which previously stood at 78° Fahrenheit, in the spring, it instantly rose to 140°, the highest mark on the instrument, but not suffi ciently high to indicate the heat of the water. Numerous bubbles rose continually to the surface, but the water was tasteless. The natives, in carrying me back over the river, stated that the ground, and the water at the bottom of the river, about four feet deep, on the side next to the springs, was quite hot, though the surface of the water was cool. I had scarcely finished my evening meal, when a crowd gathered in front of the house, with native music and sing ing. Before the door a man and a woman held each one end of a bamboo, about three inches in diameter and six feet long. On the other side, five women stood with sticks in their hands, beating in concert a sort of native tune on the hollow bamboo, and singing at the same time in loud but monotonous tones, which, I was told, was for my especial