CHAP. X. 
DETENTION AT CEYLON. 
253 
the Indian Ocean to Ceylon, landed at Pointe de Gfalle, on 
the 21st of April, thirty-two days from Southampton. 
A severe hurricane had disabled the vessel sent from 
Mauritius for the mails from England and India, in conse¬ 
quence of which we were detained nearly five weeks in Ceylon. 
This afforded me an opportunity of observing, to a limited 
extent, the varied scenery and luxuriant vegetation of that 
beautiful island; of visiting some of the shrines of idolatry, 
and the scenes of missionary labour; as well as of receiving 
the hospitality and kindness of missionary friends in this part 
of the island. Deeply as I regretted at the time this deten¬ 
tion at Ceylon, I could not but feel grateful when I afterwards 
learned that by the delay thus occasioned I had avoided the 
perils of the sea, as well as the ravages of the cholera, which 
had again visited Mauritius, almost immediately before my 
arrival. 
On the 24th of May I left Colombo on board the “ Star of 
the East,” and reached Mauritius on the 17th of June. Here 
I experienced a repetition of the generous hospitality which 
had been shown during my former visits; and though dis¬ 
appointed at finding that engagements at the Cape prevented 
Mr. Cameron from joining me, I prepared without delay for 
departing alone for Madagascar. The assistance of friends was 
cheerfully afforded in the needful preparations for the voyage. 
Messrs. l’Estrange and Co. generously gave me a passage in the 
“ Castro,” one of the best vessels in the trade, and on the 9th 
of July I embarked in the same vessel in which I had returned 
from Madagascar in 1854. 
Three days of pleasant sailing brought us in sight of the 
coast, and by noon on the following day we anchored off 
Tamatave, where the officers of the port and other natives, 
as well as the European residents, expressed their pleasure at 
my arrival. 
The next morning, when I went on shore to inquire after a 
