Volltext Seite (XML)
chap. xvi. KINDNESS EXPERIENCED AT TAMATAVE. 445 answer by the time it took to cook a pan or pans of rice, saying, it will require as long as one cooking of rice, or two cookings of rice, each cooking of rice being *from twenty minutes to half an hour; and I was much struck with the similarity of customs prevailing among people in the early periods of their social organisation, though placed in cir cumstances otherwise different and exceedingly remote, by reading, in that most interesting account of the arctic regions by Dr. Kane, that the Ostiaks, in Liben, measure time by the time of cooking a kettle of food or a meal. Few, if any other, coincidences probably exist between the customs of the arctic regions and those of Madagascar. Nothing could exceed the kindness manifested towards me during my stay at the coast A bullock was presented by the prince’s friends, and was killed for the people living with me, and poultry and other articles were brought every day. One man would bring as much fuel as was needed for the day, and would receive no payment in return. I took his likeness with a couple of bundles of firewood on a pole over his shoulder, and left it with him as a memorial of his generous consideration. While remaining here, I had one very sharp attack of illness, which, however, did not last long, and, under no circumstances, could I have been more carefully watched and attended to, than by my friends at Tamatave. At length the “ Castro ” arrived, bringing me a note from one of the owners, W. L’Estrange, Esq., generously offering me a passage to Mauritius, which I gratefully accepted. I had spent many hours in very pleasant conversation with friends from the capital and the neighbourhood; and as these seasons now drew to a close, they seemed to be more interest ing and valuable. When the ship was ready to take in her cargo, the governor sent me the ten oxen which the queen had ordered him to give me as her present. They were fine animals, and were taken on board with those for the governor