cu.vp. III. EETURN OF MR. CAMERON FROM TAMATAVE. 77 



ing in their natural state amidst all the novel forms and rich 

 and wild luxuriance of tropical vegetation, was to me a source 

 of extreme delight ; and my companion seemed scarcely less 

 gratified than myself. 



The men who accompanied us had been so loaded on the 

 higher parts of the mountain that they declined following us 

 into the ravine ; and we at first satisfied ourselves with no- 

 ticing the spots where we found anything attractive, and 

 promising ourselves a future visit ; but, almost unconsciously, 

 we kept accumulating choice bits, or bunches too precious to 

 be left, and then tying them together with tough fibrous 

 creepers, until we had each amassed more than we could pos- 

 sibly carry through the interlaced thicket to the road, which, 

 after repeatedly reducing our bundles, we at length foimd, 

 and reached home late in the evening, fatigued, but refreshed 

 and invigorated for accustomed duty by the pleasant day's 

 excursion, and highly gratified with the new wonders and 

 beauties of the Creator's works which we had beheld. 



As the month of November advanced the people of Mau- 

 ritius became anxious for tidings from Madagascar, and on 

 the 1 9th of this month the " Nimble " arrived, with Messrs. 

 Cameron and Mangeot from Tamatave, where they had ac- 

 complished the object of their visit, having paid the sum re- 

 quired by the queen as compensation for the injury inflicted 

 on the country, and secured the re-opening of the trade on 

 the same footing as that on which it had been carried on 

 before the attack of the French and English vessels. Traffic 

 was now to be free to people of all nations ; prices were to be 

 fixed between buyer and seller ; ten per cent, duty was to be 

 levied on all exports and imports ; and no natives of Mada- 

 gascar were to be taken out of the country. 



After communicating with the authorities at Tamatave, 

 Messrs. Cameron and Mangeot had addressed a letter to the 

 secretary of the government at the capital, and also to the 



