68 
VISITS TO MADAGASCAR 
CHAP. III. 
slender, elastic, and gracefully foliaged stems at the top, 
formed a naturally pointed arch of peculiar elegance and 
beauty. At other times the sides of the road were covered 
for a considerable distance with the agave, or American aloe, 
of gigantic size, and in every stage of progress towards 
flowering, in some instances interspersed with the more 
slender and graceful forms of the Fourcraea and other smaller 
species. On our right the sugar plantations, covered with 
tall, green, waving canes, stretched away four or five miles 
towards the sea; and on our left, at the distance of from 300 
yards to a mile, the dark brown sterile or wooded mountains 
towered, often in fantastic forms, high up into the bright blue 
sky. The object of this visit was to be present at the an¬ 
niversary of the Protestant chapel here, of which the Rev. 
P. Le Brun, son of my worthy host at Port Louis, was the 
minister. 
Soon after ten we walked to the chapel of this rural dis¬ 
trict. It is a neat substantial stone building, standing near 
the road, on land originally purchased by the London Mis¬ 
sionary Society for the use of the Christian refugees from 
Madagascar, several of whom, including Rafaravavy, at one 
time resided here. The chapel, which will hold three or four 
hundred persons, was filled with coloured people, respectably, 
and in some instances gaily, dressed. They listened with at¬ 
tention to a plain, affectionate, and instructive sermon from 
M. Le Brun, Senior. There was a large gathering of singers, 
and the simple melody of one of the Swiss tunes seemed alike 
agreeable and appropriate. The service closed soon after 
noon; and when we left the building it was truly gratifying 
to witness the air of contentment and kindly feeling which 
marked the cheerful countenances and cordial salutations of 
the crowds outside, who had met together on this occasion 
from the adjacent country and more distant parts. It was 
also particularly pleasing to observe the grateful esteem and 
