TAMATAVE AND FIRST IMPRESSIONS 21 



trunks and feathery crowns of the cocoanut-palms which rose 

 among the low houses of the village of Tamatave. These, 

 together with the coral reefs forming the harbour, over which 

 the great waves thundered and foamed all formed a picture 

 thoroughly tropical, reminding me of views of islands in the 

 South Pacific. 



The harbour of Tamatave is protected by a coral reef, which 

 has openings to the sea both north and south, the latter being 

 the principal entrance ; it is somewhat difficult of access, and 

 the ribs and framework of wrecked vessels are (or perhaps 

 rather were) very frequently seen on the reef. The captain had 

 told me that sometimes many hours and even days were spent 

 in attempting to enter, and that it would probably be noon before 

 we should anchor. I therefore went below to prepare for land- 

 ing, but in less than an hour was startled to hear by the 

 thunder of the waves on the reef and the shouts of the seamen 

 reducing sail that we were already entering the harbour. The 

 wind had proved unexpectedly favourable, and in a few more 

 minutes the cable was rattling through the hawsehole, the 

 anchor was dropped, and we swung round at our moorings. 



There were several vessels in the harbour. Close to us was 

 H.M.'s steamer Gorgon, and, farther away, two or three French 

 men-of-war, among them the Hermione frigate, bearing the flag 

 of Commodore Dupre, their naval commandant in the Indian 

 Ocean, as well as plenipotentiary for the French Government 

 in the disputes then pending concerning the Lambert Treaty. 

 I was relieved to find that everything seemed peaceful and 

 quiet at Tamatave, and that the long white flag bearing the 

 name of Queen Rasoherina, in scarlet letters, still floated from 

 the fort at the southern end of the town. I had been told at 

 Port Louis that things were very unsettled in Madagascar, and 

 that I should probably find Tamatave being bombarded by the 

 French ; but it is unnecessary to refer further to what is now 

 ancient history, or to touch upon political matters, which lie 

 quite outside the main purpose of this book. 



Tamatave, as a village, has not a very inviting appearance 

 from the sea, and man's handiwork had certainly not added 

 much to the beauty of the landscape. Had it not been for the 

 luxuriant vegetation of the pandanus, palms, and other tropical 

 productions, nothing could have been less interesting than the 



