390 VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. chat. xiv. 



Nourse. He spoke much of the life he had led on board the 

 ships. I found him suffering from extensive sores in the 

 lower limbs, to which I applied dressings and bandages, &c. 

 After remaining with me two or three hours he returned, but 

 repeated his visit in a few days. 



I had not yet ventured to make any use of my photographic 

 apparatus, not feeling quite sure how it might be regarded ; 

 but on this day a note came from an officer of the palace, 

 sa3dng that the prince wished to have his likeness taken, and 

 would come for that purpose on the following morning. As I 

 had my dark room to arrange, camera to unpack, and chemi- 

 cals to prepare, I could not possibly be ready by the next 

 morning ; and wrote to say that I should be happy to take 

 the likeness of the prince as soon as my materials were ready. 



I had a succession of visitors throughout the day; and 

 about seven o'clock in the evening, as I was sitting in my 

 inner room, the young chief who had accompanied me from 

 Tamatave came in to say that a sick person with some friends 

 had come to see me. I said, " Ask them to come in." When 

 the door opened, they brought in a palanquin, which they 

 placed on the table in the outer room, and after removing the 

 covering, raised up a thin, feeble, gasping woman, her hus- 

 band, relatives, and attendants, to the number of nineteen, 

 all standing round. Her husband stated that all the native 

 medicines deemed likely to be of any service had been re- 

 sorted to in vain, and the patient was so feeble as to be unable 

 to sit up, and could scarcely take any food. I did not expect 

 much benefit would result from any medicine I could give ; 

 but I spoke kindly to the sufferer and her friends, and pro- 

 mised such medicine as I thought most likely to afford relief. 

 The poor invalid expressed her great pleasure at having seen 

 me ; and said she should be grateful if it should please Grod 

 to restore her to health. After conversing some time, the 

 feeble sufferer was gently laid down in the palanquin by her 



