110 
VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. 
CHAP. IV. 
affectionate flock in Port Louis recognise him as their pastor. 
Besides the congregation or branch stations in the country, 
there are few places on the island in which coloured persons 
are not met with who have derived benefit from his religious 
instruction; for he has been occupied much in itinerant, as 
well as stated services, always preaching the Gospel in sim¬ 
plicity and affection. It was truly gratifying to me to notice 
the respect with which he was treated by all classes, as well 
as the affection evinced towards him by the Creoles, not only 
in Port Louis, but in other parts of the island. But above 
all, it was gratifying to feel that his unpretending yet unre¬ 
mitted labours of love amongst the coloured people fully 
justify the esteem and affection with which he is regarded. 
Few places in Port Louis are more replete with interest 
than the cemetery, which is situated outside the town on a 
low flat piece of ground, at the southern side of the entrance 
to the harbour. A winding avenue of filao trees leads along 
the sea-shore to the ground. The filao, or Casuarina 
lateriflora , is a tall cypress-like tree, only less compact. 
The wind passing over its leaves produces a peculiarly 
mournful and monotonous sound, which seems to render 
this long avenue a fitting approach to a place of interment. 
There is also a number of the same and other kinds of trees 
in the cemetery. The ground is extensive and well-kept, 
and the tombstones or monuments are numerous, and some 
of them highly ornamented and costly. All earthly dis¬ 
tinctions seem here to have ceased. The mortal remains 
of Roman Catholic and Protestant, churchman and dissenter, 
the French and the English, the civilian and the soldier, the 
white man and the black man, repose in peace in their one 
common resting-place. 
Many of the newly-made graves were decorated with 
flowers, and on others, vases and different vessels are placed 
