CHAP. V. VISITORS FROM THE CAPITAL. 129 



The following day a chief residing in the neighbourhood 

 came to me bringing with him his son, a fine .intelligent 

 youth about sixteen years of age, who, he said, knew a little 

 English, and wished to learn more. I was glad to see him 

 and another young chief who accompanied him, and had re- 

 cently arrived from the capital. He was aide-de-camp to the 

 prince royal, and seemed unusually intelligent. I lent the 

 youth an English and Malagasy book, which he asked per- 

 mission to copy out as a means of learning, and I spent some 

 time in teaching him the pronunciation of English words. 

 His companion was deeply interested in some books lying on 

 my table, and with many others remained the greater part of 

 the day at my house. Visits such as these were opportunities 

 for doing good of which I very gladly availed myself, and they 

 occurred often. 



A tall noble-looking chief also arrived, accompanied by a 

 number of strangers who had recently come from the capital, 

 and had brought letters from residents there conveying much 

 interesting intelligence. \\Tien my visitors wrote down on 

 paper what they had to say I could generally, by reference to 

 the dictionary for a word or two, understand what it meant. 

 I then wrote my reply, and when at a loss my servant, a 

 Malagasy from Mauritius, acted as interpreter. Four or five 

 of my visitors when they left me wrote on a sheet of paper, 

 which at the time was lying on my desk, their cordial and 

 affectionate salutations. This was the commencement of many 

 agreeable and instructive interviews with my tall friend and 

 his companions, who had but recently arrived at Tamatave, 

 where they remained till I had left the island. 



About a week after the commencement of the observances 

 connected with the New Year, I received an invitation from 

 the governor to a public dinner, which was to be given by 

 order of the queen to the residents and others on the occa- 

 sion of the national festival. The dinner was given at the 



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