466 Chronicles of Science. [ July, 
Should the inhabitants of the wonderful island of Madagascar seek to 
enlighten their countrymen and their lately resuscitated king on the 
subject of the northern nations that they are now visiting, we, too, 
may hope to learn something of the ideas, manners, and customs of 
that almost impenetrable country, whose inhabitants, animals, and 
flora differ so materially from the nearest approaching continent. In 
the meantime, we must content ourselves with the scanty information 
contained in such books as the ‘Journal of the Bishop of Madagas- 
car,’ * in which we get only incidental remarks of any geographical 
value, since the work is rather addressed to those who are interested 
in missionary labours, than to scientific inquirers. Amongst other 
little known localities, The Curieuse, the isle of Lepers, a hospital 
island whither all these afflicted creatures are consigned by the govern- 
ment of the Mauritius, was visited by the bishop in the discharge of 
his episcopal and missionary functions. 
Tur Royat GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY. 
Some extremely interesting papers have been read before this Society 
during the past quarter, amongst which Mr. Gifford Palgrave furnishes 
one on a journey from Gaza, through the interior of Arabia to El 
Khatif on the Persian Gulf, and thence to Oman. Under the disguise 
of a physician, a Syriac Christian, Mr. Palgrave passed through a 
highly-interesting and little known region. He left Gaza on the 5th 
May, 1862, went some little way along the pilgrimage route from 
Damascus to Mecca, passed within two days’ journey of the Gulf of 
Akaba over a desert inhabited only by lizards and serpents, and 
entered the kingdom of Jebel Shomer. Here commenced his most 
remarkable discovery, viz. that among the strictest Mahometans, 
and amidst the strictest kind of dissenters from the orthodox form of 
this religion, there exist remnants of the old superstition which the 
prophet of Islam intended to extirpate. The worship of the sun, of 
trees, of fire, and of the north star under the remarkable name of 
Tau, the same word as that revealed to Moses, as described in the book 
of Exodus, all find adherents in out-of-the-way parts of Arabia. 
Amongst the mountains these ancient forms still hold their ground. 
After ten days’ journeying, Mr. Palgrave and his companions reached 
the capital, Hail, where they were kindly treated by the king, Jelab. 
Hail contaims about 20,000 inhabitants, with a good market-place, 
handsome shops, and a grand palace surrounded by fortifications. 
The government of the whole kingdom is well organized, though it 
was only founded sixty years since. From this kingdom of Jebel 
Shomer, Mr. Palgrave next passed to that of the sect of the Wahabees, 
which sect originated with a fanatical Mahometan reformer, Moham- 
med Ebn Abd-al-Wahab, about 100 years ago. This kingdom is an 
* «Mauritius and Madagascar: Journals of an Hight Years’ Residence in the 
Diocese of Mauritius, and of a Visit to Madagascar. By Vincent W. Ryan, D.D., 
Bishop of Mauritius. Seeley, Jackson, & Halliday, 
