10 VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. cii.um. 



which light clouds were resting as we approached the land. 

 The whole island appeared to be one mass of volcanic rock in 

 various stages of decomposition, and destitute of all vegetation, 

 excepting on the upper parts of some of the high land, where 

 a spot said to be four or five miles from the anchorage, and 

 called the Green Mountain, was partially covered with grass 

 and trees. A portion of this Grreen Mountain had been 

 brought under cultivation, yielding bananas, and other tropi- 

 cal fruits. Here a small sanitarium or hospital was erected, 

 and also a rustic sort of country house, to which we were told 

 the governor or officers of the fleet at times resorted, as a 

 means of escape from the burning heat of the sands and of 

 the barren volcanic rocks of the shore. 



The island is used as a naval station for the vessels cruising 

 on the western coast of Africa, from which it is distant seven 

 or eight hundred miles. On coming to the anchorage, we 

 were agreeably surprised to see a neat little village or settle- 

 ment, with a church and a school-house, handsome barracks, 

 and comfortable-looking detached dwellings, shaded by ve- 

 randahs. These we learned were the officers' quarters, and 

 beside them were a number of clean-looking compact cottages, 

 occupied by those connected with the island or the shipping. 

 Four vessels of war w^ere riding at anchor when we arrived, 

 and one of them, the " Penelope," a steam frigate, bore the 

 flag of Admiral Bruce. 



As early as practicable on the following morning, in com- 

 pany with one or two friends, I took my photographic apparatus 

 on shore, and attempted some views of the church, school- 

 house, barracks, and other objects of interest ; but when 

 I afterwards developed my pictures, though some of them 

 came out tolerably well, I found that they had been much 

 too long exposed in the camera, though not half the time was 

 allowed that would have been requisite in England. 



While engaged with my cameras, the clergyman of the 



