vi PREFACE. 



while its results, it is hoped, will prove satisfactory to 

 their friends in this country. The visit proposed by 

 Mr. Cameron and myself was one of friendship to the 

 queen and people, not an official religious mission; 

 though no objects were so deeply interesting to us 

 as the religious state of the people. For observing 

 this, ample opportunities were afforded ; and on this 

 subject I received much valuable information from 

 the people themselves ; part of it exceedingly painful 

 on account of the sufferings it made known, the rest 

 though highly satisfactory, and full of hope, I have 

 not, for obvious reasons, included in the narrative of 

 my visits. The profession of Christianity is not per- 

 mitted by the present Government of Madagascar, 

 and statements acceptable and interesting to our- 

 selves might affect injuriously good men in a country 

 where civil and religious liberty does not exist, where 

 it is contrary to law for a man even to leave his 

 country without permission from the government, 

 and where the most cruel death I heard of on the 

 coast, had been inflicted on men who had attempted 

 to quit the country without leave from their superiors. 

 As a friendly visitor from England, I was kindly 

 received by the queen and all classes of the people ; 

 and nothing could exceed the hospitality and atten- 

 tion sho'svn me on the coast, during my journeys, and 

 at the capital. I have described the novel and often 



