ir slower companions. The chief peculiarity of the game
consisted in the mode of kicking, namely backwards, in the horse or
donkey fashion. The guide explained that the name of the game, when
literally translated, was, "striking blue with the sole of the foot!"
It is a desperate game, and when played, as it frequently is, by
hundreds of active and powerful young men, the results are sometimes
sprained ankles, broken legs, etcetera.

"Oh! das de game for me!" cried the enthusiastic Ebony, who could hardly
be restrained from joining. "De sole ob my foot's awrful broad, an' I
could strike black as well as blue. Do let me try, massa!"

Fortunately, perhaps, for our negro, the chief came out of his hut at
that moment and gave the signal for the hunters to advance, thus
bringing the game and Ebony's aspirations to an abrupt end. The young
men at once fell to the rear, and the whole party sallied forth into the
forest.

It was magnificent weather, with just cloud enough to prevent the sun
being overpoweringly hot, and the tract of country over which they
passed was surpassingly beautiful. To Mark Breezy it seemed as if all
the winged insects in the island had come forth to welcome him. There
were butterflies of various sizes and brilliant colours flitting to and
fro among the wild-flowers, besides dragon-flies, grasshoppers of
exquisite beauty, spiders with coats of gold and silver, caterpillars
half-a-foot long in gorgeous array of black, scarlet, and yellow, and
many other creatures which we may not pause to describe here, though
Mark and the guide frequently paused to look at them, insomuch that they
were often left a considerable way behind. One of the butterflies which
Mark caught at that time was very beautiful, and a slow flier. It
actually measured eight inches across the extended wings.

Of larger animals they saw none; and it may be as well to remark here
that there are no large carnivora in Madagascar--no lions, tigers,
leopards panthers, or creatures of that sort--nothing larger than a
wild-cat and a wolf being known. Neither are there elephants, giraffes,
rhinoceroses, hippopotami, antelope, nor deer; the only large animals
being two species of ox, and the wild-boar, goats and sheep, and
crocodiles. There are also huge bats, an animal of the monkey tribe
called the lemur, hedgehogs, and rabbits.

The lemurs are very pretty little things, and, being gentle affectionate
creatures, are sometimes tamed