2 
MADAGASCAR. 
anything like justice to the great natural beauty 
of the country, or the many peculiar and interest¬ 
ing characteristics of its population. So im¬ 
perfect was the knowledge of Madagascar even 
amongst the generally well-informed classes, that, 
at the time I was preparing to sail, some of my 
friends were full of commiseration for what they 
regarded as my unhappy fate in being banished 
to an inhospitable island in the centre of the 
ocean, where cannibalism was rampant, and where 
cold missionary in various forms was the universal 
article of diet. 
One remarked that he had always heard that 
the Terra del Fuegians, whom he evidently re¬ 
garded as the near neighbours of the Malagasy, 
were remarkable for their treachery and ferocity; 
and with a cruel frankness another friend said his 
“ Farewell,” with an expression of his opinion as 
to the absurdity of any hope on his part of seeing 
me again. 
On a bright June morning, then, I bought my 
last daily paper—that crowning achievement of 
our modern civilisation—at London Bridge, and 
took train for Gravesend, off which port the 
gallant but somewhat ungraceful and aged ship 
Sea Breeze was lying, awaiting her captain 
and passengers. Her usual occupation was that 
of a Mauritius sugar-drover, and her cargo in 
consequence generally consisted of innumerable 
