14 
VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. 
CHAP. I. 
biquerbut as we traversed the Indian Ocean the wind was 
moderate, and our progress rapid as well as pleasant. The 
discipline and order of the ship, and the arrangements for the 
passengers were admirable throughout; and we all felt how 
much we were indebted to Captain Lambert, not only for our 
safety and progress, but for a large measure of the comfort 
we enjoyed. Our Sabbaths had been more agreeable to the 
majority of those on board than is usually the case at sea. 
Public religious worship had been held every Sunday in the 
morning on the quarter deck, at which the crew and firemen, 
excepting only those actually on duty, always attended, to¬ 
gether with the officers and passengers, forming a considerable 
audience.. The captain read the Liturgy in a manner truly 
appropriate, after which, being the only minister of religion 
on board except an invalid clergyman, I usually delivered a 
discourse. The afternoon I devoted to the sailors and the 
men connected with the engines, who welcomed my visits 
among them, and thankfully received religious tracts and 
copies of the Scriptures, of which I deeply regretted that I 
had not a more adequate supply, for very few of the men 
possessed either a Bible or a Testament. In the evening a 
second religious service was held, attended chiefly by the pas¬ 
sengers and stewards or cabin servants. 
The last Sabbath on board was peculiarly interesting. The 
day was fine, and a large audience had gathered at the morn¬ 
ing service. In the afternoon, as I was sitting on the* deck, 
three of the crew came aft, and said they were sent by the 
rest of the ship’s company to ask, as this was the last Sunday 
I should be on board, if I could preach them another sermon. 
I assured them of my readiness to do so, and, the captain 
having expressed his approval, in about half an hour after¬ 
wards they returned to say that all was ready. Mr. Cameron 
accompanied me to the forecastle below. The men had pre¬ 
pared a sort of pulpit by placing a seaman’s chest upright on 
