10 
VISITS TO MADAGASCAR, 
CIIAP. I. 
which light clouds were resting as we approached the land. 
The whole island appeared to he one mass of volcanic rock in 
various stages of decomposition, and destitute of all vegetation, 
excepting on the upper parts of some of the high land, where 
a spot said to be four or five miles from the anchorage, and 
called the Green Mountain, was partially covered with grass 
and trees. A portion of this Green Mountain had been 
brought under cultivation, yielding bananas, and other tropi¬ 
cal fruits. Here a small sanitarium or hospital was erected, 
and also a rustic sort of country house, to which we were told 
the governor or officers of the fleet at times resorted, as a 
means of escape from the burning heat of the sands and of 
the barren volcanic rocks of the shore. 
The island is used as a naval station for the vessels cruising 
on the western coast of Africa, from which it is distant seven 
or eight hundred miles. On reaching the anchorage, we 
were agreeably surprised to see a neat little village or settle¬ 
ment, with a church and a school-house, handsome barracks, 
and comfortable-looking detached dwellings, shaded by ve¬ 
randahs. The latter we learned were the officers’ quarters, and 
beside them were a number of clean-looking compact cottages, 
occupied by those connected with the island or the shipping. 
Four vessels of war were riding at anchor when we arrived, 
and one of them, the “ Penelope,” a steam frigate, bore the 
flag of Admiral Bruce. 
As early as practicable on the following morning, in com¬ 
pany with one or two friends, I took my photographic apparatus 
on shore, and attempted some views of the church, school- 
house, barracks, and other objects of interest; but when 
I afterwards developed my pictures, though some of them 
came out tolerably well, I found that they had been much 
too long exposed in the camera, though not half the time was 
allowed that would have been requisite in England. 
While engaged with my cameras, the clergyman of the 
