VOYAGE FROM CAPE TOWN TO CHINA. 35 



was under the rule of the Hova government, and a faint 

 resemblance to civilization was found. I at once com- 

 municated with our consular agent, a man of very ec- 

 centric habits, and before leaving entertained him and 

 the Governor of the province on board ship. 



On the evening of the 20th we sailed from Mouron- 

 dava, and on the 226. reached Mainterano, a trading 

 station on the coast of Madagascar, situated in Sacalava 

 territory. Here we met an American from New England 

 w^ho had professed the faith of Mohammed and who 

 seemed to be sincere in his belief, having married a Mo- 

 hammedan wife. 



On the 23d we left Mainterano under sail, and on 

 the 24th sounded in a dead calm without getting up 

 steam, finding bottom in 1445 fathoms, lat. 15° 32' S., 

 long. 44° 10' 45" E.; light brown mud. This completed 

 our deep-sea work in the Mozambique Channel, We 

 then skirted the coast of Madagascar, finding in lat. 

 15° 44' 15'' S., long. 45° 30' 30" E., quite an extensive 

 shoal which was not on the chart, Cape Tanzon bearing 

 about E.S.E. ^ E., distant 12 miles. The least water 

 found was 3! fathoms, but as there was not time to 

 survey it thoroughly there m.ay be still less water on some 

 portions of the shoal. We anchored after dark, and on 

 the morning of the 26th steamed into the harbor of 

 Majunga. Knowing that for some time before our 

 arrival in these waters the French had been at war with 

 the Hovas, we were not surprised to find two French 

 men-of-warin port, — the " Vaudreuile " and the " Pique,' 



