ciLvr. i. 
OBJECTS OF THE AUTHOR’S VISITS. 
7 
nessed the uncomplaining spirit, the patient suffering, and the 
heroic constancy of the Christians, were drawn, notwith¬ 
standing the prospect of almost inevitable suffering, or death, 
to seek admission to their fellowship. 
Although since the year 1845 there had been but little 
communication with Madagascar, yet, whenever opportunity 
offered, intercourse had been maintained between the natives 
in the island and their fellow sufferers in exile at Mauritius. 
In 1852 accounts were received from parties residing in 
Madagascar, that political and other favourable changes were 
in progress. 
The London Missionary Society, by whom these accounts 
were received, justly deeming them too important to be dis¬ 
regarded, judged it most expedient, in the first instance, to 
seek further information by specific inquiries on the spot. 
This ultimately led to the visits since paid to that country, as 
well as to South Africa, some of the chief incidents of which 
are narrated in the following pages. 
Early in the year 1853, I was invited, together with Mr. 
Cameron, then residing at the Cape of Grood Hope, to proceed 
to Madagascar, on a visit of friendship, in order to ascer¬ 
tain, as far as practicable, the actual state of the people, and 
the views of the government. 
The people of Madagascar were well known to Mr. Cameron, 
and they had long been subjects of great interest to myself, 
not only on account of their own peculiar circumstances, but 
from their resemblance in many respects to the South Sea 
Islanders, amongst whom, in my early years, I had spent 
an eventful portion of my life. I was consequently not 
unwilling to devote my best energies to a work which 
to many earnest minds appeared fraught with hopeful 
promise. 
On the 14th of April, 1853, I embarked at Southampton, 
