18 
VISITS TO MADAGASCAR, 
CHAP. II. 
CHAP. II. 
Departure from Port Louis. — Stormy Voyage. — Arrival at Tamatave.— 
Appearance of the Village-The Harbour Master and his Officers. — Let¬ 
ters sent to the Capital.—Invitation to the Shore. — Welcome from the 
Officers and People. — Native Custom House. — The Harbour Master’s 
Dwelling. — Important Conversation with some of the chief Officers of the 
Port respecting the Intentions of the English. — Conversation respecting the 
Christians. — Curious Mode of taking Snuff. — Analogies between the Poly¬ 
nesian and Malagasy Languages. — Appearance and Dress of the People. — 
The Trade of the Island.—Feelings of the Native Christians. — Our An¬ 
noyances on hoard the Ship. — New Plants and Flowers. — The Ouvirandra 
fenestralis. — Letters from the Capital. — Hospitality on Shore. — Depar¬ 
ture from Tamatave. — Arrival at Mauritius. 
Soon after mid-day on the 11th of July Mr. Cameron and 
myself, having taken leave of our hospitable friends at Port 
Louis, embarked on hoard the “ Gregorio,” a small schooner, 
of about seventy tons’ burden, which the merchants at Mau¬ 
ritius had hired for the sole purpose of conveying to Mada¬ 
gascar their memorial, soliciting from the queen of that 
country the opening of the trade, and in which vessel they 
had generously given us a passage. The object sought by this 
memorial was one of great importance to the colony; and, 
inclusive of the names of the president and members of the 
Chamber of Commerce with whom it originated, it had re¬ 
ceived the signatures of between two and three hundred of 
the merchants and others residing in Mauritius. 
The day of our departure was excessively hot, but as the 
wind was fair, and the water smooth, we passed swiftly be¬ 
tween the lines of merchant vessels riding at anchor on both 
sides of the harbour; and leaving the lazaretto, where the 
