CHAP. XIY. 
APPLICATIONS FOR MEDICAL AID. 
389 
The chief officer again rose, and said the Queen of Mada¬ 
gascar desired to he friendly with all foreign nations; that 
she regarded none as her enemies; and wished to maintain 
friendly intercourse with the people of all countries. 
Soon afterwards the conversation ended, and the company 
separated. As we went out, M. Laborde, accompanied by his 
son and the priest, took my arm in his, and led the way to 
my palanquin, where we parted with mutual salutations. 
Without any pretension to a knowledge of medicine beyond 
such as had been acquired from books, by a few months’ 
attendance at a colonial dispensary, and nearly ten years’ 
residence in a place where there was no European medical 
practitioner, even to meet the requirements of my own family, 
I had taken out with me to Madagascar a small quantity of 
the most common and useful medicines, and had often found 
them very acceptable to the foreigners as well as the natives. 
The examiners at the native Custom House had opened the 
case containing these, and also my photographic chemicals; 
and as everything of the kind was supposed to be medicine, 
my supply was considered to be abundant, and applications 
were proportionately frequent. Madagascar appears to be 
rich in medicinal plants. The natives are acquainted with 
the properties of many; but they are very anxious to obtain 
European medicine, and even send occasionally to Mauritius 
for a supply. Since my arrival at the capital, applications for 
medicine had been numerous; and before sunrise one morning 
a note was brought while I was dressing, informing me that 
the bearer was an officer of rank, and would be glad if I 
could render him any medical assistance. He himself was 
outside in his palanquin. In a short time he entered, accom¬ 
panied by two chiefs and followed by attendants. I found he 
had been one of the youths placed by Radama on board 
English ships of war to learn seamanship, and that he had 
been several years in a vessel commanded by Commodore 
CC 3 
