538 FOURTH BULLETIN OF [1846. 



ass copal," is much inferior to the other in not drying so readily. It is very pro- 

 bablfi that they are the produce of different Iroea. 



A large tree, the Ciirysophia faciciilala, is much valued by the natives for the 

 timber, of whicli they construct their canoes. It is also the principal timber used 

 in building their proahs at tliis port. 



A species of Adansonia is found very abundant on this coast. 



Canes made of the Dyospyriis ebcnaster were exposed for sale here, and the 

 natives informea nie that this wood was very abundant in the interior. 



The bark of a upecies ot Hibusscus is used here for making coarse cordage. 



Two species of Pandamus or Screvvpine is found here — the Pandamus hofa and 

 the Pandamus sylvestris. The seed of some species can be eaten. The stem is 

 rsniarkable for sending down aerial roots. 



Among other plants found here, ihe more remarkable are the Urania speciosa, 

 CasBurina equesitifolia, Urtica furialis, Barringtonia speciosa, two species of Big- 

 nonia. Mimosa raadagascar, &c. 



But little fruit could be obtained here, consisting of a few bananas and cocoa-nuts. 

 The water is not good, being obtained from wells fifteen or twenty feel deep, in 

 which the water rises and falls with the tide. 



Many of the small hills in the vicinity of Majunga are composed of a ferrugi- 

 nous sand, and incapable of being cultivated, altliough between these very fnquent. 

 ly is a small extent of alluvial soil, whieh is generally cultivated with rice, and 

 which is flooded with water at times, may ba the cause of the fever which prevails 

 here at times, and proves very fatal to foreigners, as also to natives from the in- 

 terior. It is a highly inflammatory remittent fnver at first, but soon passes into 

 the continued form with typhoid characters, coma, &.c. 



Mr. Marks, an American, who has resided liero several years, engaged in mer- 

 cantile business, informed me that he has had but one attack of fever, and it ap- 

 pears from ihe experience of others also, ia.it after recovering fully from the first 

 attack the chances are much less of taking it again. 



The cliS's at the entrance of the bay are low, the lower strata being composed of 

 fossiliferous carbonate of lime, the strata alternating with a finer carbonate con- 

 taining but few fossils. Occasionally there is a stratum of a very pure clay inter- 

 posed. The strala is nearly horizontal. 



The soil is largely impregnated with oxide of iron, so much so at some places, 

 as to give it a dark red color. I found in the village a specimen of serpentine 

 containing a large quantity of chromate of iron, but its locality I could not deter- 

 mine. It is said here that the natives in the interior nnd nalivo steel, but it is 

 most probably meteoric iron, as that is capable of being wrought without under- 

 going any process, and is harder than common iron. 



Since the government has been usurped by the present tiueen, great exertions 

 have been used to check the progress of the christian religion, which had been ex- 

 tensively promulgated by English missionaries during a term of ten years, which 

 grant they received from King Radama to reside that length of time on the island, 

 establish schools, and instruct tho natives in the mechanic arts. Some time after 

 the death of Radama, several hundred natives having been converted to the christian 

 faith, it became obnoxious to the Queen and her ofijcers, and tho penalty of death 

 was imposed upon all those who would not renounce their new faith. Many suf- 

 fered death, some in the most cruel manner; and it appears the persecution still 

 continues, as the Governor's secretary, who accompanied me one day as a guide in 

 this neighborhood, informed me that he had been educated at the capital by the 

 English missionaries, and that his brother had lately been put to death near the 

 capital, for having been discovered praying and having religious books in his pos- 

 session. This person informed me that ho believed in the christian faith, but was 

 obliged to conceal his books, and to profess the religion of the country. 



The geological formation of Noos Beli, ]\Iadagascar, is of volcanic formation of 

 ancient date. Many of the bare rounded hills still present the forms of craters. 

 A large deposit of ciiert flanks the base of one of the hills, dipping at an angle of 

 35° ; and several dykes of a very compact sandstone, evidently in a state of fusion 

 once from its highly crystallized structure, traverse the chert . 



Immense blocks of granite are strewn along tho shore. Tho loftiest peak of the 

 surrounding hills is perhaps five hundred feet, and is covered with largo timber, 

 which affords somo Taluable woods. A large portion of tho timber has been cutoff 



