86 VISITS TO MADAGASCAR chaf. iv. 



purpose of preaching tlie Grospel to a few poor labourers and 

 other people of colour gathered together in a hired room. The 

 recollection of this explained to me the cordial greeting which 

 he and his son received after the interesting services were over. 



Grande Eiviere is an important suburb of Port Louis, 

 the residence of several merchants and others whose places of 

 business are in the port. A number of Creoles reside here 

 in the capacity of servants, mechanics, or small shop-keepers ; 

 and it was gratifying to see any efforts made for their moral 

 and spiritual benefit, especially as those efforts appeared to 

 be attended with evidence that good was done. As an 

 instance of this, I must mention that about a month after the 

 anniversary, my friend M. Le Brun, senior, was agreeably sur- 

 prised one morning by a coloured man coming to hijn and 

 informing him that he and another man had made up their 

 minds to build at Grande Riviere a substantial stone chapel, 

 fifty feet long and twenty or twenty-five feet wide ; that he 

 possessed a piece of ground in an eligible place, which he 

 would give for the purpose ; and that when the chapel was 

 finished he would at once give him possession of it. WTien 

 I left for my second visit to Madagascar, the ground was 

 marked out, and preparations for a commencement made. 

 Before I finally left the colony the chapel was finished, and 

 was filled with hearers every Sunday. 



Besides my interest in the religious improvement of the 

 people, other objects sometimes led me to Grande Riviere. 

 Soon after my arrival at Mauritius, I had made the acquaint- 

 ance of Dr. Powell, who had charge of the Lunatic Asylum 

 at Grande Riviere and resided there. He was familiar with 

 chemistry, and had recently commenced the practice of 

 photography. As I had brought out the requisite apparatus, 

 and had attempted to take some of the more striking views 

 in the neighbourhood, as well as portraits of individuals, 

 especially such as were good specimens of the different races 



