PREFACE. 



The chief part of the following pages was Avritten in 

 Madagascar. It was my habit, whether travelling 

 or residing in one place, to note down, generally at 

 the close of the day, the impressions produced by the 

 novel or attractive objects I might have met with, or 

 the information I might have gathered from the 

 people. This record of daily occurrences was from 

 time to time sent home in the form of journal letters; 

 and from these letters chiefly the following narratives 

 have been prepared. 



More than twenty years have elapsed since the 

 last English missionaries left Madagascar, and during 

 this period religious changes of the most decisive 

 nature, and events of the highest and most sacred 

 character, have occurred amongst the people. The 

 imperfect, and at times conflicting, accounts of 

 these events received in England indicated the desi- 

 rableness of a personal visit. Such visit has been 

 made, and was, there is every reason to believe, wel- 

 come to the government and people of Madagascar; 



