no VISITS TO MADAGASCAK. chap. iv. 



he has not laboured in vain. A large and respectable con- 

 gregation of coloured people attend his ministry, and an 

 affectionate flock in Port Louis recognise him as their pastor. 

 Besides the congregation or branch stations in the country, 

 there are few places on the island in which coloured persons 

 are not met with who have derived benefit from his religious 

 instruction ; for he has been occupied much in itinerant, as 

 well as stated services, always preaching the Grospel in sim- 

 plicity and affection. It was truly gratifying to me to notice 

 the respect with which he was treated by all classes, as well 

 as the affection evinced towards him by the Creoles, not only 

 in Port Louis, but in other parts of the island. But above 

 all, it was gratifying to feel that his unpretending yet unre- 

 mitted labours of love amongst the coloured people fully 

 justify the esteem and affection with which he is regarded. 



Few places in Port Louis are more replete with interest 

 than the cemetery, which is situated outside the town on a 

 low flat piece of ground, at the southern side of the entrance 

 to the harbour. A winding avenue of filao trees leads along 

 the sea-shore to the ground. The filao, or Casuarina 

 lateriflora, is a tall C3rpress-like tree, only less compact. 

 The wind passing over its leaves produces a peculiarly 

 mournful and monotonous sound, which seems to render 

 this long avenue a fitting approach to a place of interment. 

 There is also a number of the same and other kinds of trees 

 in the cemetery. The ground is extensive and well-kept, 

 and the tombstones or monuments are numerous, and some 

 of them highly ornamented and costly. All earthly dis- 

 tinctions seem here to have ceased. The mortal remains 

 of Roman Catholic and Protestant, churchman and dissenter, 

 the French and the English, the civilian and the soldier, the 

 white man and the black man, repose in peace in their one 

 common resting-place. 



Many of the newly-made graves were decorated Avith 



