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PREFACE. 
The chief part of the following pages was written in 
Madagascar. It was my habit, whether travelling 
or residing in one place, to note down, generally at 
the close of the day, the impressions produced by the 
novel or attractive objects I might have met with, or 
the information I might have gathered from the 
people. This record of daily occurrences was from 
time to time sent home in the form of journal letters; 
and from these letters chiefly the following narratives 
have been prepared. 
More than twenty years have elapsed since the 
last English missionaries left Madagascar, and during 
this period religious changes of the most decisive 
nature, and events of the highest and most sacred 
character, have occurred amongst the people. The 
imperfect, and at times conflicting, accounts of 
these events received in England indicated the desi¬ 
rableness of a personal visit. Such visit has been 
made, and was, there is every reason to believe, web 
come to the government and people of Madagascar; 
A 3 
