BV 
 
 3625 
 
 M2J37
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 REV. J. JEFFREYS. 
 
 And ffie sea gave up the dead winch were in it, 
 
 JZeu.XX.73.
 
 IV 
 
 THE 
 
 WIDOWED MISSIONARY'S JOURNAL; 
 
 CONTAINING SOME 
 
 ACCOUNT OF MADAGASCAR; 
 
 AND ALSO, 
 
 A NARRATIVE 
 OF THE MISSIONARY CAREER 
 
 OF THE 
 
 REV. J. JEFFREYS, 
 
 WHO DIED ON A PASSAGE FROM MADAGASCAR 
 
 TO THE ISLE OF FRANCE, JULY 4, 1825, 
 
 AGED 31 YEARS. 
 
 BY KETURAH JEFFREYS. 
 
 ' Thy way, O God, is in the Sea, and thy Path in the 
 Great Waters, and thy footsteps are not known." Ps. 
 Ixxvii. 2. 
 
 SOUTHAMPTON : 
 PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR; 
 
 AND SOLD BV ALL THE BOOKSELLERS. 
 
 MDCCCXXVII.

 
 TO 
 
 HER GRACE 
 
 THE DUCHESS OF BEAUFORT, 
 
 THE FOLLOWING PAGES 
 
 ARE 
 
 VERY RESPECTFULLY AND GRATEFULLY 
 
 INSCRIBED, 
 
 BY THE 
 
 AUTHOR.
 
 P R E F A C E. 
 
 THE dispensations of Providence are often 
 marked by their afflictive mysteriousness. 
 In no circumstances is this more deeply 
 felt, than when those who have been pre- 
 pared by a long process of trial and disci- 
 pline for usefulness in the advancement of 
 the Redeemer's Kingdom, are suddenly, and' 
 as we deem it, prematurely, removed from 
 their stations of labour to the realities of 
 the eternal world. To them, indeed, glori- 
 ous is the transition; a delightful exchange 
 of toil and conflict, for " the rest which re- 
 maineth for the people of God." But to 
 survivors, above all, to those directly and 
 immediately affected by such dispensations^ 
 they are naturally adapted to excite oven*-
 
 whelming emotions ; and were it not for the 
 assurances and consolations of the Gospel, 
 would induce a hopeless and heart-sinking 
 depression. It is the prerogative of God, to 
 act as he pleases, and always to act with 
 iu finite wisdom, faithfulness, and love. He 
 can fit instruments for their work by provi- 
 dential discipline, and gracious influence ; 
 and when we are just looking for the bene- 
 ficial results of their agency, lay them a- 
 side ; to teach us, that he can do without 
 them, and that HE alone is the source of 
 efficiency and success. 
 
 Such were the feelings experienced by 
 the writer of this Preface, when the REV. 
 JOHN JEFFREY was announced to be no 
 longer " a pilgrim and a stranger upon the 
 earth." From his entrance on preparatory 
 studies for the work of the Christian Mi- 
 nistry, at the Academy at Blackburn, to the 
 period of bis offering himself to the Direc-
 
 Vll 
 
 tors of the London Missionary Society, to- 
 be a " living sacrifice," in the hallowed 
 Cause of evangelizing the heathen, Mr. Jef- 
 freys was under his immediate superinten- 
 dauce ; and though some of the students in 
 that Institution might possess a higher or- 
 der of mental capability, and previously 
 acquired advantages, none excelled him in 
 honourable and industrious application, 
 unaffected humility, fervent piety, and most 
 exemplary devotedness to all the duties of 
 personal and social religiom It was soon 
 evident to all around him, that he was not 
 a candidate for the ministry from secular 
 or merely professional views; his volunta- 
 ry exercises in the visiting of the sick, in 
 conversation with the poor in their cotta- 
 ges, and in occasional village preaching, 
 proved that his heart was engaged in the 
 great work to which he had consecrated his 
 life.
 
 viii 
 
 Long before his entrance on Missionary 
 labours, he exhibited the self-denial, ener- 
 gy, laborious concentration of all his pow- 
 ers to the advancement of the kingdom of 
 Christ, which are so essentially requisite 
 in those who are to go " far hence among 
 the heathen;" and when his final determi- 
 nation was known, there was but one feel- 
 ing of 'grateful and approving satisfaction 
 amongst all who knew his excellencies, and' 
 admired his character. 
 
 The following Volume details the lead- 
 ing facts of his short, but eventful course. 
 Soon it pleased Him, whose way indeed is 
 " in the sea, and whose path is in the migh- 
 ty waters," to terminate that course. " His 
 sun went down whilst yet it was noon." To 
 have been removed in the most favourable 
 and advantageous circumstances, just as his 
 efforts were beginning to be effective, would 
 have been an afflictive event; but, to be
 
 IX 
 
 suddenly snatched away from the relations 
 and endearments of life, and all the ho- 
 nourable services before him, when on a 
 voyage to another Island for the sake of 
 the health of his Partner, and the benefit of 
 his infant family, just after a beloved 
 daughter had been committed to the deep, 
 was indeed an agonizing and mysterious 
 dispensation ! But all shall be explained, 
 when " the sea shall give up the dead that 
 are in it :" and then it will appear, that he 
 who " takes but that he gave," hath "DONE 
 
 ALL THINGS WEEI,.' 1 id Vo 
 
 Mrs. Jeffreys was left a widow, with three 
 children; the eldest not quite above four 
 years of age, and in the expectation of soon 
 adding to the number of her little helpless 
 charge. The " God of the widow," sustain- 
 ed her in that and succeeding hours of tri- 
 al ; and now, that she has returned to her 
 native land, she has drawn up the follow-
 
 ing Memorial, not only to record the excel- 
 lencies of her departed husband, but to as- 
 sist her in providing for the future support 
 of four orphan children. An appeal was ne- 
 ver made in vain to the sympathy and bene- 
 volence of British Christians ; and the Wri- 
 ter of this Preface feels the cheering assur- 
 ance, that after the reference he has made 
 to these affecting circumstances, no recom- 
 mendation of the work will be necessary. 
 May the God of his departed Friend, ever 
 administer the cousolation of his presence, 
 and the guidance of his Spirit, to the mind 
 of the Widowed Missionary ; and this re- 
 cord of a Father's worth, administer, not 
 only to the temporal welfare of her chil- 
 dren; but, under the divine blessing, be 
 eminently conducive to their spiritual ad- 
 vantage. 
 
 J. FLETCHER. 
 
 Mile End, London, 
 Aug. 11, 1837.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 THE Writer feels it a formidable task, 
 thus to introduce herself to the Public ; 
 yet she hopes, that the consideration of her 
 situation, will secure for her a large por- 
 tion of their candour. She is the Widow 
 of a Missionary ; and, at the earnest so- 
 licitation of friends, who have looked 
 into her private Journal, and who deep- 
 ly sympathize with her in the sorrows she 
 has endured, and the circumstances in 
 which she is left, with four young chil- 
 dren, is induced to attempt a brief narra- 
 tive of her travels, in company with her 
 late beloved husband, and to offer such 
 information relative to Madagascar, as a 
 residence of little more than three years 
 in that interesting country, will enable her 
 to communicate. She also hopes, that by 
 this attempt, she shall provide a record, 
 that will endear to her children the memo- 
 ry of an affectionate father, and be here- 
 B
 
 after read by them with pleasure and pro- 
 fit. 
 
 She will also feel highly gratified, if 
 what she writes, should in any degree con- 
 tribute to excite or increase a feeling of 
 Christian sympathy for the deeply degrad- 
 ed and neglected Malagasy ; for she thinks, 
 if the Great Head of the Church had so per- 
 mitted, no joy to her M'ould have been great- 
 er, than to have laboured long, and success- 
 fully, in dispensing among them that inform- 
 ation, which is adapted to elevate the human 
 character, and to bless mankind. She ex- 
 pects, in the pursuance of her design, ma- 
 uy a pang, as memory re-visits those va- 
 ried -scenes through which she passed with 
 her lamented Partner; but she trusts it 
 will sot be .unattended with some .pleasur- 
 able emotions of gratitude to the God of 
 her mercies ; who, though he caused her to 
 pass through many -sorrows, yet has veri- 
 fied his promises, and granted strength e- 
 qual to her day. Without farther apology, 
 she proceeds to narrate the history of her 
 travels, and commences with leaving Eng- 
 land.
 
 LEAVING ENGLAND. 
 
 it /> AM 01 t3 .... 
 
 IT was on Saturday morning, Aug. 4tir, 
 1821, that, in compliance with the wishes 
 of the London Missionary Society, Mr. Jef- 
 freys and myself, together with a little girl 
 of his, by a former wife, left London for 
 Gravesend. As we walked through the 
 streets of the Metropolis, towards the place 
 of embarkation, our hearts were crowded 
 with anxieties which can be more easily 
 conceived than expressed. We felt that we 
 were leaving our beloved and highly pri- 
 vileged country, and withdrawing from the 
 fond ties of natural affection, and endeared 
 friendship; and said, " Who is sufficient 
 for these things T" But that God, to whose 
 cause, I hope, we sincerely had devoted 
 ourselves, bare up our spirits, and ena- 
 bled us to proceed, notwithstanding the 
 varied griefs that pressed upon us. 
 B 3
 
 On our arrival at the quay, we found 
 our esteemed Friend, the Rev. J. Arundel, 
 Secretary of the London Missionary Soci- 
 ety, waiting to take leave of us. His 
 Christian sympathy, and the consolatory 
 encouragements he gave us in that season 
 of peculiar anguish, were received, and 
 are still remembered, with much gratitude. 
 After a few minutes, spent in commending 
 each other to a covenant keeping God, we 
 embarked, and arrived at Gravesend about 
 noon. Here again we were called to say, 
 Farewell, to the last relative I saw in Eng- 
 land, my youngest sister, who accompa- 
 nied us from London. The next day, we 
 sat down at the Lord's Table, with the 
 Church, under the pastoral care of the 
 Rev. J. Kent; and on Monday, half past 
 two, P. M. went on board^ the Columba, 
 bound for the Isle of Franc%, We joined, 
 as fellow passengers, Prince Ratefi, his 
 Secretary, &c. c. We were soon under 
 weigh ; and, as my lingering looks hovered 
 over the land, I said, 
 
 " England ! with all thy faults, I love thee still, 
 My Country !"
 
 But, in obedience to the voice of Him, who 
 says, " Go into all the world, and preach 
 the Gospel to every creature," I caii leave 
 thee, .and go to distant climes: and, in my 
 heart, I repeated those lines of Thompsou, 
 
 " Should Heav-n command me to the farthest verge 
 Of the green earth, to distant barbarous climes, 
 Rivers unknown to song $ where first the sun 
 Gilds Indian mountains, or his setting beam 
 Flames on th' Atlantic isles ; 'tis nought to me ; 
 Since God is ever present, ev.er felt, 
 In the void waste, as in the city full, 
 And where he vital breathes there must be JQV,." 
 
 
 B 3
 
 VOYAGE TO THE MAURITIUS. 
 
 
 
 AUG. 20. Through the violence of the 
 sea sickness, I have been for fourteen days 
 unable to hold a pen ; but am to-day, by 
 the mercy and loving-kindness of a graci- 
 ous God, able to be on deck. 
 
 Yesterday, being the sabbath, Mr. Jef- 
 fries preached on board from those words 
 of the Apostle, " I am not ashamed of the 
 Gospel of Christ." There appeared to be 
 much attention excited ; O, that good may 
 be done to the souls of our fellow passen- 
 gers, and to the poor sailors, who in so 
 great a degree need and demand the pray- 
 ers and exertions of Christians. 
 
 Aug. 31. The wind S. S. . W. and we are 
 now in the Bay of Biscay ; the swell of the 
 sea is excessive, but on the whole we have 
 had a pleasant day. God is very kind ; I
 
 will hope, that what we have already 
 perienced of his goodness, is a pledge of 
 his future gracious intentions towards us. 
 
 Sept. 3. During the last fortnight, the 
 wind has generally been , contrary ; but, 
 through the kindness of God, it is to-day 
 more favourable; yet we make but little 
 progress, owing to the great swell of the 
 sea. Yesterday, Mr. Jefferys delivered an 
 impressive and affectionate discourse on 
 the fourth Commandments 
 
 Sept. 5. This evening the wind has be- 
 come fair; we have had a brisk breeze, 
 and hope to see Madeira to-morrow night: 
 
 " Auspicious Hope 1 in thy sweet garden grow, 
 Wreathes for each toil, a charm for every woe." 
 
 Sept. 7. The wind still favourable. Por- 
 to Sanco is full in view. How delightfully, 
 pleasing to the eye, after a period of five 
 weeks at sea, is the sight of land ! The Gy- 
 ro pedian army, when returning under the 
 command of Xenophon, after a long ab- 
 sence from home, and in an enemy's coun- 
 try, could not have been much more de- 
 lighted, when they first beheld the sea,
 
 8 
 
 which promised them an opportunity of 
 re-visiting their homes, than I was at the 
 sight of land, and the hope of being again 
 permitted to tread upon it. The next day 
 my .hopes -were gratified; we went on shore 
 at Punch al, in the island of Madeira, and 
 spent four days in comfortable lodgings, 
 at the hou-se of an English lady, of the 
 name of Winter. 
 
 The Portuguese appeared to us much 
 given to dissimulation in their dealings, 
 and were very dirty in their habits. On the 
 sabbath day, we visited several of their 
 churches ; all were highly decorated^ but 
 their worship consisted of little else than 
 ceremonial observances ; the poor people 
 are completely the dupes of a designing 
 and crafty priesthood. . 
 
 The images, paintings, and pictures, 
 with which their churches are adorned, 
 are calculated deeply to affect the mind of 
 the spectator, but not with a concern for 
 the precepts of God's word ; nor yet for the 
 name, authority, and -character, of the Su- 
 preme Being; but rather, to instil into 
 him a superstitious reverence for a motley
 
 groupe of saints and- deities, all of whom 
 are supposed by their deluded worship- 
 pers to intercede for them, and recommend 
 them to the superior God. Never did the 
 value of a Christian education, and the dis- 
 tinguished privileges of my native country, 
 more affect my mind, than when I witnessed 
 the ignorance and blindness of this awful- 
 ly deluded people. Whilst examining the 
 paintings in the magnificent church of St. 
 Peter, our attention was suddenly arrested 
 by a groupe of persons surrounding a mar- 
 ble slab, on which was laid an infant, ap- 
 parently about a year old ; at the head and 
 feet of which were tapers burning. We 
 drew near, and soon found that the priest 
 was performing the funeral rites over the 
 body of the departed, but, I trust, happy 
 babe. The service was all performed in La- 
 tin, so that no word of consolation was gi- 
 ven to the parents or friends, nor one ut- 
 tered likely to benefit the spectators. We 
 remained however till the ceremony was 
 over, when the priests withdrew, and most 
 of the people. A man then came forward, 
 and stripped the poor body of all that had
 
 10 
 
 been put about it as ornaments; and, wrap- 
 ping it in a kind of napkin, took it out of 
 the church. We were about to follow ; but 
 a stranger kindly prevented us by saying, 
 " Excuse me, you had better not proceed, 
 you will only be disgusted." On our return 
 to the house of Miss Winter, we begged an 
 explanation of this ; and when she had in- 
 formed us of their manner of interment, w 
 were indeed thankful that we had followed 
 the advice of the stranger ; they prepare a 
 kind of grave; to which, when they have 
 brought the corpse, they take off all its rai- 
 ment, and then rudely throw it into the pit, 
 pouring upon it vinegar and lime; this be- 
 ing done, two men descend-, and trample on 
 the corpse, till the bones are broken ; they 
 then pour upon it more lime and vinegar; 
 and fill up the grave : the reason they as- 
 sign for this strange, and, as it appears to 
 us, inhuman ceremony, is, that by immedi- 
 ately destroying the body, they prevent any 
 bad Miasmata, that might otherwise arise 
 from its being left to become putrid. This 
 reason is plausible; but, surely, some me- 
 thod might be found which would be more
 
 congenial with the sympathies of human 
 nature. 
 
 Sept. 15. The last few days I have suf- 
 fered much from sea sickness, owing to my 
 having been on shore a short time. "When 
 we left Madeira, a strong and favourable 
 breeze soon brought us into the trade 
 winds. We are now in full view of Palma, 
 off the Canary Islands ; and although we 
 are nearly five and twenty leagues to the 
 westward, yet on Thursday, when standing 
 S. W. off the laud, we were becalmed, and 
 it was with very great difficulty that the 
 ship could be steered. About two o'clock 
 this morning, I was awakened by the rush- 
 ing of water, apparently entering the ves- 
 sel; I immediately roused dear Mr. J. who 
 arose, and on stepping out of his cot, found 
 the water ancle deep in our cabin ; the a- 
 larm was instantly given to the watch on 
 deck, and it was discovered, that one of the 
 passengers, who occupied a cabin aft, had 
 left open his window, through which the 
 water had outered, on the breaking of a 
 wave over the stern of the vessel. A good 
 deal of alarm was at first excited ; but the
 
 12 
 
 cause being so soon found out, peace and 
 order were again restored. 
 
 Sept. 17. I was much alarmed about six 
 o'clock this morning, hearing the Captain 
 summon all hands on deck ; a squall came 
 on, with a strong wind ; all the sails were 
 taken in ; we lost the gib, and one of the 
 yards. About two, P. M. the squall in- 
 creased, accompanied by thunder and light- 
 ning, with heavy rain ; through mercy, no 
 serious damage was sustained in any way : 
 the words of the Psalmist struck my mind 
 very forcibly at this moment, " The voice 
 of the Lord is upon many waters, the God 
 of glory thundereth." 
 
 Last evening Mr. J. had a Iqng conversa- 
 tion with one of the passengers, on the cha- 
 racter of God, but fear there was no salu- 
 tary conviction felt on his part. 
 
 Tuesday, Sept. 25. Yesterday, perceiving 
 a sail near, the Captain hoisted his co- 
 lours, and was immediately answered. We 
 found the vessel was the Euphrates, with 
 troops on board, bound to the Isle of 
 France. \Ve kept in company with her 
 twenty-four hours.
 
 13 
 
 Oct. 18. During the last three weeks, I 
 have suffered considerably, from the ex- 
 treme heat, being becalmed nearly a fort- 
 night, just at the line, which is not an un- 
 common circumstance. We crossed the line 
 on sabbath morning, the seventh inst. since 
 which we have had light breezes ; and to- 
 day, in lat. 18 deg. 40 min. south, we are 
 going on very pleasantly. How many mo- 
 tives for gratitude daily present them- 
 selves ! O, that I could keep pace with my 
 mercies; but, alas! my heart is too indif- 
 ferent to spiritual things. Blessed Jesus ! 
 I have devoted myself to thy service; O, 
 preserve me from disgracing the great and 
 good cause in which I have embarked ! 
 
 Oct. 25. During the last few days, have 
 felt much anxiety respecting my dear Part- 
 ner, who has been suffering from an attack 
 of bile; through mercy, the means used 
 have been blessed, and he is now recover- 
 ing; I hope he will be preserved from a 
 relapse: " Lord, be thou our helper." 
 
 We have had a pleasant breeze for some 
 days past ; but about six o'clock this even- 
 ing we were thrown into alarm, and indeed, 
 c
 
 14 
 
 for a few minutes, into circumstances of 
 danger, by a sudden shift of the wind, 
 which, to use the sea term, threw us aback, 
 and consequently, exposed us to the peril 
 of going down a-stern; but the Captain, 
 with his usual activity, seized the helm, 
 and calling all hands on deck, ordered the 
 satis to be taken in ; and, in a much short- 
 er period than I could have imagined, had 
 I not been an eye-witness, this command 
 was executed; by which means, the vessel 
 was righted, and went off before the wind. 
 Thus, througli the preserving and prevent- 
 ing mercies of our heavenly Father, we 
 were kept from all harm. This change of 
 the wind was followed by a strong gale ; 
 the sea ran mountains high, and the waves 
 broke with violence over the deck ; or, as 
 the sailors term it, we were constantly 
 shipping a sea. 
 
 Nov. 2. The last few days we have been 
 favoured with pleasant weather, and fine 
 breezes; but the Captain says, that we 
 must not expect to go on thus smoothly, 
 long, as we are approaching the Cape; 
 rounding which, rough weather is general-
 
 15 . 
 
 ly experienced. May that goodness and 
 mercy, which has safely brought us thus 
 far, conduct us to our destined port ! 
 
 " Here I raise my Ebenezer ; 
 
 Hither, by thine help, I'm come; 
 And I hope, by thy good pleasure, 
 
 Safely to arrive at home." 
 
 Nov. 14. Since my last date, we have had 
 to sing of mercy and judgment; and have 
 been constrained often to exclaim, how 
 great, how wonderful, how good is God ! 
 
 On the sixth iiist. the greater part of the 
 day was a calm ; but afterwards, a strong 
 current to the N. W. overtook us; which, 
 owing to the very great swell of the sea, 
 occasioned the vessel to roll tremendously. 
 It was with much difficulty we took our 
 meals. Wednesday, the breeze increased, 
 and soon carried us round the Cape, the 
 wind about N. W. and N. N. W. But on 
 Friday morning, the wind became boiste- 
 rous, and the sea assumed an aspect ex- 
 ceedingly terrific; so high were the waves, 
 that we sailed not only on the great deep, 
 but in it. Towards noon, it blew a strong 
 c 3
 
 16 
 
 gale, attended with tempest; and such a 
 scene presented itself, as it is impossible 
 for any pen adequately to describe, or the 
 most skilful artist to paint. 
 
 Towards evening, the wind blew still 
 more tremendously, and the storm increas- 
 ed ; at times, it appeared as though the ele- 
 ments had conspired against us, and that 
 we must become a prey to their fury : the 
 wind, lifting up the waves, passed over 
 us in sudden gusts, like mighty torrents; 
 which, united with the noise of the thun- 
 der, and the roaring of the waters, made it 
 truly terrific. Now the sea opened in great 
 gulphs, and we sunk into the deep, as 
 though no more to rise; then, suddenly, we 
 mounted to the heavens ; and so it conti- 
 nued, till the SUB, that glorious dispenser 
 of light and comfort, as if weary with be- 
 holding a scene so sublime and awful, re- 
 tired to shed his benign influences on a 
 more peaceful region. But though the wind 
 lowered, our danger was not diminished, 
 for the sea began to break in upon the 
 deck iu torrents; and though the heavens 
 gathered a blackness, that for a moment hid
 
 17 
 
 from our view what we were almost tired 
 with beholding, yet there immediately suc- 
 ceeded such vivid flashes of lightning, as 
 served again to discover, and to heighten 
 the horrors of the scene. The voice of Je- 
 hovah was now heard in the heavens, and 
 his power was seen in the mighty deep. I 
 cannot forget, how at this moment my mind 
 was comforted, by Mr. Jefferys's saying, 
 
 " The God that rules on high, 
 
 And thunders when he please ; 
 That rides upon the stormy sky, 
 
 And manages the seas : 
 
 "This awful God is ours, 
 
 Our Father, and our love ; 
 He shall send down his heavenly powers, 
 
 To carry jis above." 
 
 About eight o'clock the moon, which was 
 just at the full, emerged from behind the 
 thick clouds ; and, all at once, as if com* 
 miserating our situation, appeared riding 
 in majestic splendour through the heaveus. 
 Shortly after, the skies became more se- 
 rene, the lightning's vivid flash ceased, the 
 c3
 
 18 
 
 thunder's awful roll died away into a dis- 
 tant murmur ; and we were left to comment 
 on the dangers through which we had past. 
 What abundant cause for gratitude ! 
 
 " When all thy mercies, O my God, 
 
 My rising soul surveys, 
 Transported with the view, I'm lost, 
 
 In wonder, love, and praise." 
 
 May favours so conspicuous, tend to make 
 us more than ever devoted to the gracious 
 Author of our mercies ! 
 
 Nov. 20. A fine breeze to-day; but the 
 wind being directly contrary, our faith and 
 patience were again tried, as- our anxiety 
 increases the nearer we approach to Port 
 Louis. 
 
 Monday, Nov. 26. Our voyage is draw- 
 "ing to a close. Last evening we had a dis- 
 tant view of the burning Mountain in Bour- 
 bon, and expect, by the divine blessing, to 
 see the Mauritius before sunset, and to 
 land to-morrow. 
 
 On Friday last, we caught a large shark. 
 Mr. Jeffreys was the first who saw the fish 
 following the vessel, and gave the alarm.
 
 19 
 
 Immediately a bait was thrown out, which 
 this ravenous monster of the deep soou 
 seized, and so was taken ; it measured ten 
 feet and a half. 
 
 Sabbath day. I hope this is the last sab- 
 bath we shall have to spend on board a 
 ship. How privileged they, who go to the 
 house of God in company, and there mingle 
 their praises and their prayers! Mr. Jef- 
 freys has addressed the passengers from the 
 words, " God is love," 1 John iv. 8. I can- 
 not help referring here, to a singular coin- 
 cidence of events ; could I have withdrawn 
 the curtain of Providence at this early com- 
 mencement of my Missionary career, how 
 should I have shuddered to have seen in 
 prospect my sorrowful bereavements ; and 
 how difficult should I have found it to have 
 joined in the words 1 of the text, as a senti- 
 ment which my faith received, and my ex- 
 perience confirmed ; but now, I dare not 
 say otherwise. God is love. This was the 
 last sermon my beloved Partner preached 
 on board ; and, what is remarkable, he 
 closed his ministerial labours in Madagas- 
 car, by preaching from the same words. By
 
 20 
 
 this inviting view of the character of God, 
 he aimed, with all his soul, to win sinners 
 to Christ, and to turn the heathen from the 
 helpless idols in which they vainly trust. 
 O that the Lord may give us to see, that he 
 did not labour in vain ! 
 
 ;98?juj oat frAir.'irifu; ?!*:{ ; 
 
 ' S. O) /'T^'rt 
 
 )
 
 ARRIVAL AT THE MAURITIUS. 
 
 />* 
 
 NOV. 38. We are now at Port Louis. After 
 a voyage of nearly four months, we arrived 
 last evening in safety and health. " Bless 
 the Lord, O ray soul, and all that is within, 
 me, bless his holy name P> 
 
 The Rev. Mr. Le Brun, Missionary of this 
 station, has given us a very kind reception. 
 He says, that it would be imprudent to, 
 proceed to Madagascar in less then six 
 months, as the wet season is just com- 
 menced. This is a disappointment; but, I 
 trust, it will in the end be for the best. We- 
 feel the heat to be very oppressive, and 
 our lodging, which is in the heart of th& 
 town, is very uncomfortable. 
 
 Jan. 1. 1822. This must be a day of grati- 
 tude and praise, to the God of our mercies; 
 we have been brought through innumerable
 
 22 
 
 dangers, seen and unseen, in the past year, 
 and through many trials and sorrows ; and 
 it is probable we shall, in the course of 
 this new season, have to pass through many 
 more, if spared to see it close ; and what 
 an unspeakable mercy it is, that we are ig- 
 norant of what is before us ; for where is 
 the human mind, however strong, that could 
 bear to see the veil that hides even but a 
 little of futurity, removed! O for grace, to 
 enable me at all times, to wait for the 
 Lord, as well as to wait on him. 
 
 This place presents many painful proofs- 
 that the Slave Trade is not yet abandoned, 
 as unchristian and cruel ; this inhuman and 
 brutalizing traffic is carried on here to a 
 considerable extent : as we sat at break-* 
 fast the morning after our arrival, we saw 
 a heavy carriage of manure pass along the 
 public road; and through the town, drawn 
 by human beings, with very partial cover- 
 ing on their bodies, and guarded and urged 
 forward by a guide, who carried a lash in 
 his hand, and who often used it very smart- 
 ly ; and this is a common sight. These op- 
 pressed creatures are generally yoked to-
 
 23 
 
 gether in pairs of six or eight, according to 
 the weight of the carriage given them to 
 draw. 
 
 Slaves are also kept by masters of inns ; 
 and when a gig goes out, a slave is sent to 
 run by the side, and expected to go at the 
 same rate as the horse, and to take care 
 that more than the allowed number do not 
 ride at the same time. 
 
 Any persons possessing slaves, have pow- 
 er to send them to the Bazaar to be pub- 
 licly whipped, if they have been guilty of 
 dishonesty, or running away. Here, the 
 treatment is sometimes very inhuman. Once 
 as I was passing, I beheld a poor creature 
 lying on his face, fastened to a piece of 
 timber, and groaning most piteously. On 
 enquiry, I found he had received fifty lash- 
 es in the morning, and was condemned to lie 
 there till evening, when lie was to have fif- 
 ty more! 
 
 " Then what is man ? And what man, seeing this, 
 And having human feelings, does not blush, 
 And hang his head, to think himself a man ?" 
 
 Feb. 26. Mr. Jefferys has been visiting a
 
 Catholic Priest, whose name is I/ Abbe 
 Flageolet ; he gave me the following inter- 
 esting account of his day's excursion. Mr. 
 Le Brun accompanied me, and the road was 
 pleasant, as it lay through many fertile and 
 well cultivated lands. The Abbey is situ- 
 ated near a branch of La Grande Riviere; 
 which, in a serpentine direction, sometimes 
 winds over a bed of craggy rocks, so that 
 its surface is greatly agitated, and then it 
 softly glides through fertile vales, till it 
 pours its tributary stream into the main ri- 
 ver. Mango, and other fruit trees, nearly 
 concealed the Abbey and the Grange, until 
 we came within a few yards of them. 
 
 The abode of the Abbe Flageolet, was 
 built after the cottage form, and was near 
 the place of worship ; the entrance M r as 
 much decayed by time ; a small lobby con- 
 ducted us to the foot of an old staircase, 
 considerably inferior to an English step- 
 ladder. Seeing no person, we ascended; 
 and, at the top, were met by an old black 
 domestic, who introduced us to his master. 
 "We were much interested with his appear- 
 ance. He was truly venerable, both by age
 
 25 
 
 and profession ; when we entered, he was 
 taking his breakfast; which consisted of 
 rice and potatoes, dressed as a salad, and he 
 appeared to eat it with great relish. 
 
 We enquired after his age ; he replied in 
 French, for he could not speak English, 
 " Soixante dix huit;" or seventy eight. 
 The whole of his countenance appeared 
 marked by age and close study; but his 
 eyes still retained uncommon animation, 
 especially in conversation. His manner 
 was perfectly devoid of all that harshness 
 and severity, which too generally marks the 
 Catholic priesthood; the cheerful smile, 
 which constantly beamed upon his coun- 
 tenance, bespoke the natural amiableness 
 of his temper. 
 
 His clothes were of a very inferior de- 
 scription; he had no coat, but wore an old 
 loose robe, which he told them 'had been 
 his covering for twelve years. The size of 
 the room appeared to be about fifteen feet 
 by ten. The spider's web. was its only ceil- 
 ing ; the roof tapered to a point in the cen- 
 tre; the furniture wore an aspect similar 
 to its aged and infirm possessor, and con- 
 D
 
 sisted of two old tables, on one of which 
 was kept different articles for domestic use, 
 and a few books ; and the other bare the 
 provision of which its owner was eating. 
 These, with a few broken chairs, constitut- 
 ed the whole of his furniture ; and one ser- 
 vant, two turtle doves, a cat, and a dog, 
 were, I believe, all the living inmates of his 
 dwelling. 
 
 When he had finished his repast, we be- 
 gan a conversation with him ; from which 
 we found, that he left Europe with the de- 
 sign of going to Madagascar as a mission- 
 ary ; but various circumstances had con- 
 spired to prevent his accomplishing this 
 purpose. He appeared much delighted, 
 when he found Mr. J. was going to that 
 island ; and seemed very anxious, that all 
 the earth should be brought to the know- 
 ledge of the truth. When speaking of the 
 goodness of God, in supplying all our con- 
 stantly returning wants, he replied, that his 
 kindness ought to make us fall down in 
 grateful homage before him. He spoke of 
 the errors of the Catholic church, and said, 
 that it was his opinion, that Popery would
 
 27 
 
 ultimately be abolished. He told us, that 
 he regularly performed divine service in 
 the adjoining Abbey, and was constant in 
 visiting among his flock. 
 
 On parting, He very kindly and cordially 
 shook hands with us, and wished me much 
 success in the great and good work of pro- 
 claiming the Gospel of Christ. Surely, we 
 may hope, that the period is fast approach- 
 ing, when Christians of every denomination, 
 shall cordially unite in aiding the triumphs 
 of pure and undefiled religion. 
 
 March 25. Mr. Hastie, the British Agent 
 for Madagascar, has just informed us, that 
 he expects we shall leave this place for 
 that Island, in about a month. I feel consi- 
 derable anxiety in prospect of our depar- 
 ture; yet my heart says, Lord, do with us 
 as seemeth good to thyself. "If thy pre- 
 sence go not with us, suffer us not to go up 
 hence." 
 
 April 12. The last fortnight we have been 
 much fatigued in preparing for our expect- 
 ed removal ; and now we find the vessel by 
 which we are to sail for Madagascar, is to 
 leave the end of this month. 
 
 D2
 
 26 
 
 We have to-day been visiting the grave- 
 of that devoted woman, Harriet Newell. 
 We found it enclosed by railings; the trees 
 that grow around her tomb, have so greatly 
 increased in size and foliage, as>to cast a 
 solemn, but pleasing shade about it. It is 
 near the sea-shore, where her ashes, and 
 those of others of the mission Family rest, 
 peacefully waiting the coming- of the re- 
 surrection morning ; but her glorified spi- 
 rit is doubtless enjoying a fruition of bles- 
 sedness in heaven ; to which high abode, she, 
 has now welcomed the once loved partner 
 of her joys and sorrows, when residing ilk 
 this vale of tears j 
 
 " Now on a green and flowery mount, 
 
 Their weary spirits sit, 
 And with transporting joys recount, 
 
 The labours of their feet." 
 
 How happy, and how much to be desired' 
 that world, where all the excellent from a- 
 mong mankind, shall meet in the presence 
 of the blessed Saviour ! There they shall 
 be " before the throne of God, and serve 
 him day and night in his temple; and he
 
 29 
 
 that sitteth on the throue shall dwell among 
 them. They shall hunger no more, neither 
 thirst any more ; for the Lamb, which is in 
 the midst of the throne, shall feed them, and 
 shall lead them unto living fountains of 
 waters ; and God shall wipe away all tears 
 from their eyes." 
 
 |P If/5 lo 
 
 '..-"' 
 
 >) y.Fi^j y-i :/ 
 
 >dl -iot gai)i;r.v bsuir^sh 
 . .iloofo'o ov,- 1 
 
 i;,ti$lW 
 
 
 D 3
 
 
 DEPARTURE FROM THE MAURI- 
 TIUS, FOR MADAGASCAR. 
 
 MAY 1. Yesterday evening we took leave 
 of all our kind friends at Port Louis, and 
 came onboard the Menai, expecting to sail 
 very early this morning ; but we have been 
 detained waiting for the Captain. It is now 
 two o'clock, P. Mi and we are just under 
 weigh, hoping, if all should be well, to. 
 reach Madagascar in three or four days. 
 
 How perpetually changing are all things 
 here ! We seem scarcely to know our 
 friends, before some event bids us with- 
 draw from them* I have taken many anx- 
 ious looks towards the shore on which we 
 have left our friends, and which is now ra- 
 pidly receding from our view. The thought 
 would be scarcely supportable, were it not
 
 3* 
 
 that we have, through metcy, a hope of 
 meeting in a world were adieus and fare- 
 wells are for ever unknown. 
 
 We have light winds, and go at the rate 
 of three or four knots an hour. Captain 
 Morsby is very pleasant, and endeavours 
 to render our situation as comfortable as 
 possible. 
 
 May 5. Sabbath day, light winds, but- 
 fair. We had public service on deck at 
 half past ten o'clock. Mr. Jeffreys, in com-, 
 pliance with the wishes of the Captain, 
 read the service of the Church .of England, 
 and also a sermon, as the Captain preferred 
 reading to extempore speaking. After the 
 service, tracts were distributed among the 
 crew, who very thankfully, received them. 
 Should some of the poor sailors be morally 
 benefitted by reading them, we shall re- 
 joice. We expect to-morrow to reach the 
 land, where we hope to labour, should it be 
 the will of God, long and successfully, in 
 inviting the heathen to come to Christ. 
 
 May 6. As soon as Mr. J. went on deck 
 this morning, he was informed, that land 
 was in sight. Having satisfied himself that
 
 it was so, he hastened to my cabin with the 
 good news. I was dressing my dear babe, 
 then three months old ; but, without delay, 
 I accompanied him to take a look at the 
 desired object, and found it quite overpow- 
 ering to my feelings. 
 
 The first appearance of land is always 
 interesting to the mariner ; but this ap- 
 peared peculiarly so to us. We had been 
 toiling so long to reach it, and indulged so 
 many anticipations, that there we should 
 be employed for God, in the instruction of 
 the poor benighted natives of the Island ; 
 and now we joyed, that our services were so 
 soon to commence. 
 
 Mr. Jeffreys was deeply affected with the 
 prospect, and full of thanksgivings to God 
 for what he had done for us. 
 
 About ten o'clock, A. M. we came to an- 
 chor in the roads of Tamatave. On enter- 
 ing into the harbour, Prince Island is seen 
 to the N. E. a short distance from the main 
 land. The front ground is chiefly low, and 
 covered with immense quantities of wood. 
 In the back ground rise, in sometimes ra- 
 pid succession, mountains, the real face of
 
 33 
 
 which we were too distant to distinguish. 
 Mr. J. remarked to me, that, in many parts, 
 it reminded him of the English: coast around; 
 Lancashire. 
 
 The harbour of Tamatave, called by^the 
 French, Port au Prunes, or Plum-Harbour, 
 is situated in lat. 18. 12. and is by.no means 
 contemptible. Ships of a moderate burden 
 may lie at anchor here in. perfect safety. A 
 reef of coral extends for a considerable dis- 
 tance from the shore, and shelters it from 
 the great surf, which comes in from the 
 eastern seas. The, Captain very kindly in- 
 vited us to remain on board till the follow- 
 ing morning; to which, as I was. rather. un- 
 well, we gladly acceded. 
 
 The Malagasy 'Prince, Rafarata, and Mr. 
 Hastie, who had accompanied us from the 
 Mauritius, went on shore immediately ; and 
 as soon as they were safely landed, received 
 the royal salute from our vessel ^ which I 
 should have said, was a ship of war. The 
 next morning about ten o'clock, we went on,*, 
 shor.e at Tamatave.
 
 
 LANDING AT MADAGASCAR. 
 
 
 HOW shall I describe the conflict I had 
 with my feelings on entering: this Island, 
 where I thought it probable, that affliction, 
 distress, persecution, and even death itself, 
 might await me. Recollection carried me 
 back to the very painful circumstances that 
 removed so many of the first Missionaries 
 that came out to this interesting Island ; and 
 I said, Who can tell, but such painful be- 
 reavements, may soon be felt among our- 
 selves! Who can tell, but that we shall 
 fall a sacrifice to the dreadful endemic of 
 this unsalubrious climate? I endeavoured, 
 however, to dissipate, as much as possible, 
 these oppressive feelings, and to encourage 
 myself in God.
 
 We were immediately, on landing, con- 
 ducted to one of the best houses the small 
 town of Tamatave afforded, where the Me- 
 chanics, who had come from England with 
 us, and who had gone on shore the preced- 
 ing evening, resided. 
 
 The town of Tamatave is near the coast ; 
 indeed, some of the houses are not more 
 than a hundred yards from the water's 
 edge ; it lies very low, and is surrounded 
 by woods, and much marshy land : this ap- 
 pears one great cause of the uuhealthiness 
 of the place. The houses in general, are 
 miserably put together, and are many of 
 them inferior to our English barns. The 
 materials with which they are constructed 
 are very simple ; they have no upper cham- 
 bers, nor have they cellars; a few poles, 
 fastened together at a little distance from 
 each other, form the frame, or outside of 
 the dwelling. They then add a few more 
 poles, to bear up the roof, which is gene- 
 rally of a conical form ; the sides are made 
 close with poles, which make the frame of 
 the dwelling ; they then enclose it, and co- 
 ver it with the leaves of trees sewed toge-
 
 Iher. Such materials sooii fall into decay ; 
 and especially, the roofs of the houses, in 
 consequence of the frequent rains, and the 
 warm rays of the sun which immediately 
 succeed ; they then throw more leaves on, 
 to repair them. The vegetable matter, thus 
 continually decomposing, is Very consider- 
 able; and its particles, becoming mingled 
 with the atmosphere, make it, at some sea- 
 sons of the year, particularly fatal to the 
 inhabitants. This, together with the fall of 
 leaves from the Banana, Cocoa-nut, and 
 other trees that s'urround their houses, and 
 shelter them from the scorching rays of the 
 sun, the abundant and long-continued rains, 
 and the want of cleanliness among the peo- 
 ple, contributes to make this part of the 
 country unhealthy ; yet the principal cause, 
 no doubt, is to be found in the extensive 
 woods, and the marshy and undrained lands 
 which lie all around the coast. 
 
 We have this day been looking over the 
 greater part of Tamatave, and went as far 
 as the late chiefs monument ; it is a small 
 pile of wood, of an oblong form, painted 
 white, and stands about a quarter of a mile
 
 north east of the town. Near it, are two 
 small poles, on which are to be seen the 
 wretched remains of two human sculls; and 
 at a little greater distance, lay other sculls 
 and bones, which we were informed, be- 
 longed to the principals of a rebel party, 
 that sometime ago, assassinated the chief 
 of a neighbouring village, and whose death 
 was revenged by the chief of Tamatave ; 
 who exposed the bodies of the slain to pub- 
 lic view on a kind of cross, and this was all 
 tjiat remained of them. 
 
 On landing here, we found the news had 
 arrived, that King Radama had ordered his 
 hair to be cut short, and also that of his 
 troops; in consequence of which, Prince 
 Rafarata, who was a general in the army, 
 had his immediately cut after the same 
 manner, and he likewise had his beard tak- 
 en off. This, however, is by no means a ge- 
 neral custom ; for those men who are not in 
 the army, still keep their long hair dressed 
 in a way the most fantastical. The females 
 also wear their long hair ; those who are 
 married, twist it up in the form of a bou- 
 quet, on the top of the head ; and the uu- 
 

 
 married women and girls, wear it loose, 
 flowing negligently over the shoulders. The 
 boys of the Missionary Schools wear their 
 hair after the English fashion. It is a cir- 
 cumstance of some importance, that the 
 King, and some of his people, have 'sub- 
 mitted to this change ; for we understand, 
 the wearing of long hair, dressed in their 
 peculiar manner, is connected with >a part 
 of their religious ceremonies; and, there- 
 fore, we hope, as one prejudice is relin- 
 quished, that others, of more consequence, 
 will in 'due time follow. 
 
 Ittay 9. Mr. Hastie has just informed us, 
 that the King, Radama, when speaking of 
 having had his own hair, and that of his 
 soldiers, cut, said, that the circumstance 
 had so offended the females, that many came 
 in a body to the capital, and entered the 
 Court yard, to remonstrate with their Sove- 
 reign, for robbing himself and their bus* 
 bands, of what they considered to be a part 
 of their beauty. For a short time they were 
 very noisy, but the King soon had recourse 
 to means that restored tranquillity. 
 
 Two hundred men are this morning ar-
 
 39 
 
 rived from the Capital. Several have been 
 at our house, to see the "deer, that came 
 over with us from the Mauritius. They ap- 
 peared greatly to admire the form and co- 
 lour of the animals; and said they were 
 tsaratarehy, or beautiful. 
 
 My dear babe attracts the attention of 
 the people generally ; they appear much 
 delighted with his dress, and the manner of 
 nursing him ; and say, they are glad we are 
 going to Tananarivou. One of the men, by. 
 signs, made us understand, that Radama 
 had his hair dressed like Mr. Jeffreys ; when 
 we told him, we were glad of it, he replied, 
 Eny tsara.ny andriena, or, Yes, the King, is 
 good. 
 
 Dined to-day at Mr. Hastie's with the 
 chief of Tamatave, the French Consul, and 
 Captain Morsby. Mr. H. informed us, that 
 the English woman, who went out as the 
 wife of Mr. Stephens, was dead; she was 
 unwilling to remain at the Mauritius till 
 the healthful season, and so had fallen a 
 prey to the endemic so prevalent at this 
 time of the year ; she has left a son eight 
 months old* 
 
 E 2
 
 40 
 
 May 13. Yesterday morning Prince Ra- 
 farata left for Tananarivou, with two-hun- 
 dred men, the deer, and the horses; 1 fear 
 the former will never be able to bear the 
 journey, owing to the badness of the road, 
 and rough treatment of their drivers. I ex- 
 pect in the course of two or three days, 
 some Maroumita will arrive, that we too 
 may proceed. 
 
 Yesterday, we had divine worship in our 
 own house. Mr. Hastie attended ; Mr. Jef- 
 freys commenced with singing; he then 
 read the ninetieth Psalm, the sixtieth of I- 
 saiah, and the twenty-fourth chapter of St. 
 Matthew ; he then prayed, and afterwards 
 read a part of Dr. Bogue's discourse on the 
 conversion of the Heathen, in his Sermons 
 on the Millennium, and concluded by sing- 
 ing. 
 
 I accompanied Mr. J. this morning, to 
 see the spot of laud, where lie, in peaceful 
 repose, the earthly remains of the late Rev. 
 J. Bevan, his wife, and child ; and the wife 
 and child of the Rev. D. Jones, who came 
 to this Island under the patronage of the 
 London Missionary Society ; but, owing to
 
 41 
 
 their arrival in the unhealthy season, were 
 soon seized with the endemic, and carried 
 off rapidly, by its destructive power. It 
 may perhaps be useful here, to name at 
 what part of the year Europeans may, with 
 the greatest safety, attempt landing on the 
 coast of Madagascar: The winter, in the in* 
 terior, commences about the end of May; 
 but on the coast, it is nearly a month later, 
 owing to the land being so much lower 4 , 
 consequently 1 , the months of June, July, 
 August, and September, are the best mouths 
 for attempting a journey from the coast to 
 the capital, or into any part of the interior, 
 By the month of June, the water is general- 
 ly dried up from the low lands,- and the 
 rainy season does -not come on till October. 
 This secures to the traveller four months 
 in which to make his route with safety, if 
 care be taken on his part to arrive at some 
 village every night, and not to expose him- 
 self very early or very late. Great caution- 
 must be taken to avoid the dews and fogs 
 of the morning and evening. 
 
 We are here rather too early ; but the 
 season is considered unusually good, as 
 E3
 
 42 
 
 there has been very little rain for sometime. 
 Yet we are in a land of death, and sur- 
 rounded by the symbols of mortality. I 
 trust we shall be preserved for the glory of 
 God, and the good of many around us. 
 
 During our walk, our attention was ex- 
 cited, by observing at a little distance, 
 some soldiers belonging to the chief, Jean 
 Rene. They went through the different ma- 
 neuvres, with wonderful exactness, and in 
 the European manner. We were also grati- 
 fied by calling on a blacksmith, whose shop 
 and manner of work, carried us back in 
 imagination, to Old England. The workers 
 in iron and steel in this country, are very 
 clever ; they obtain the ore from their own 
 mines, and have the means of soon extract- 
 ing the metal from it, and of converting it 
 into the different implements which the na- 
 tives use. 
 
 We also saw a native female weaving 
 cloth; the process was tedious, as it was 
 carried on upon the ground ; each thread 
 was carefully drawn with the hand along 
 the wool, which was fixed to a wooden 
 frame. The material with which she was
 
 43 
 
 working, was prepared chiefly, she told us, 
 from a species of grass called Roufia ; but 
 the workmanship was surprizingly neat, 
 and simple. 
 
 People are daily arriving from Ouva, 
 with trifles to sell, such as knives, small 
 spades, tobacco, &c. with the money thus 
 gained, they purchase salt, and carry it to 
 Tananarivou. Perhaps, the most they gaiu 
 by one of these expeditions, a journey of 
 more than three hundred miles, is a dollar ; 
 and though they are often starved on the 
 road, yet these poor creatures, with their 
 burden of salt, because it is their own, ap- 
 pear as independent in spirit as if they 
 possessed thousands. 
 
 May 21. The M aroumita, who are to be 
 eur bearers and attendants up the country 
 this morning, presented themselves in rea- 
 diness for the journey ; and, after we had 
 breakfasted with the Chief, we left Tama- 
 tave, and about four o'clock, P. M. arrived 
 at Yvoundrou. Our route this day lay over 
 the sands, close to the sea ; the scenery, at 
 times, was quite picturesque. This small, 
 but beautifully situated village, lies at the
 
 44 
 
 mouth of the river, from whence it derives 
 its name. It would be impossible for me to 
 describe my feelings, as I stood on its 
 banks. The eye seemed at a loss on what 
 object to fix its attention; as most worthy 
 of admiration ; .whether, the majestic oce- 
 an, beating with its impetuous waves the 
 huge banks of surf, which. separated the 
 mighty bed of w T aters from the gently flow- 
 ing stream ; or, the beautifully sloping 
 banks of woods, which rose in quick sue-? 
 cession, losing, as it were, their topmost 
 foliage in the distant horizon. The pleasure 
 however with which I gazed -on this eonir 
 manding and enchanting prospect, was not 
 unmixed with pain; the sigh of regret 
 could not be repressed at the recollection, 
 that this delightful spot was, from its rudte 
 and uncultivated state, the land of disease 
 and death. Its very beauties were its bane. 
 From the marshy land, in the hot season, 
 miasma, or pestilential vapours, are conti- 
 nually rising from the great quantity of ve- 
 getable matter, which lies in a state of de- 
 cay. Yet I could not help looking forward, 
 and hoping that the time may not be very
 
 45 
 
 distant, when, by the hand of cultivation, 
 these marshes shall become fruitful plains, 
 upon which comfortable habitations shall 
 be raised for a people who shall be occu- 
 pied in agriculture, or commerce, be unit- 
 ed in the social compact, and, through the 
 instrumentality of Christian missionaries, 
 be brought to live on such terms of love 
 towards each other, and devotedness to the 
 service of the true God, and our Saviour 
 Jesus Christ, as will render the country, 
 now so desolate and waste, beautiful as the 
 garden of the Lord: 
 
 The moral condition of the poor inhabi- 
 tants of this Island, is truly wretched ; they 
 are sunk in ignorance and vice. " Dark- 
 ness hath covered the earth, and gross dark- 
 ness the people." Here too, the demon su- 
 perstition has reared his throne, and as yet 
 reigns uncontrolled ; and, however lament- 
 able it may appear to a benevolent mind, 
 it is a fact, that all the Europeans who 
 have ever visited this country, with the ex- 
 ception of some Catholic missionaries, and 
 three or four Protestant missionaries, sent 
 out by the London Missionary Society,
 
 46 
 
 have done nothing to destroy or to lessen 
 his power. Gain appears to have been the 
 object of those who have come to this -I* 
 sland, with an intention tt> colonize and to 
 civilize it ; and to them it was a matter of 
 no moment in what way. it was- obtained* 
 To a very alarming and painful extent? 
 the horrid traffic in human blood has been 
 carried on here ; and, perhaps, nothing has 
 tended more to brutalize the character of 
 the inhabitants, than this trade, as estar 
 blished and pursued by the French in time 
 past. 
 
 It is right, however, now to publish the 
 honour due to the British Government, who 
 have recently turned -their attention to this 
 Island, and put a check, which every Chris- 
 tian must most devoutly wish may be soon 
 followed by such interference of their au* 
 thority, as shall entirely prevent this<sort 
 of merchandise being carried on at all in 
 future. 
 
 May 22. About noon we left Yvoundron, 
 and proceeded by water in small canoes, 
 formed from the trunk of a tree, which be- 
 ing round bottomed, are very dangerous, as
 
 the least unequal balance would immedi- 
 ately upset them. Mr. Jeffreys, our little 
 girl, myself, and my babe, were allowed to 
 get into one of the largest, with four men 
 to row, or ratherpaddle us forward. It was 
 with trembling steps, that I approached 
 the water's edge to embark, being ignorant 
 of the skill of our sooty pilots; and ap- 
 prehensive, from the structure of our ves- 
 sel, that the danger was great. I scarcely 
 knew how to hope for safety, but I rec61- 
 tected; that I had set out in the path of dan- 
 ger, and could not retire. At this moment, 
 my affectionate Partner, seeing my uneasi- 
 ness, with his accustomed cheerfulness, said 
 to me, ""Remember, my dear, our rounding 
 the Cape; we'have the same'God in the ca- 
 noe as we had in the -snip." 
 
 After a little time I became more com- 
 * posed, the delightful scenery on either side 
 interested my attention, and after a row of 
 about four hours, we arrived at a small 
 village, where we took our lodgings for the 
 night. From the houses around us, as there 
 were not more than ten or twelve, we con- 
 cluded, that the Tillage had not long been
 
 48 
 
 formed. There may, however, have been 
 cottages, we did not see. 
 
 It stands near the river, and has abun- 
 dance of rice ground and pasturage ; but 
 the land was much of it uncultivated, and 
 the cattle appeared neglected. 
 
 In most of the houses we found a loom 
 for weaving, and some fishing tackle. Weav- 
 ing is the work of the female, but the man 
 spends his time in indolence, except when 
 want of provision compels him to fish, or 
 -gather a kind of berry which they use for 
 food. 
 
 May 24. Yesterday we could not proceed 
 : in consequence of the wind and rain ; but 
 this morning, at seven o'clock, we turned 
 our backs on the village, and ventured upon 
 the large Lake which we had to cross. 
 
 Two of the canoes were soon upset by 
 the agitation of the waters ; and, when all 
 attempts to go forward proved fruitless, 
 we landed, and encamped on the plain. I 
 scarcely know if our situation here partook 
 more of the tragic or comic ; for whilst 
 fear and agitation were depicted in the 
 countenances of some whose canoes had
 
 49 
 
 been upset, the appearance of the gentle- 
 men on the backs of their almost naked 
 bearers, was so ludicrous, that others could 
 not refrain from laughter. We erected a 
 temporary residence of boughs, and made 
 a roof with broad leaves, which we collec- 
 ted from neighbouring plants. When it 
 was completed, our Maroumita, or bearers, 
 hung up their scarfs, or robes, in order to 
 screen us from the burning rays of the early 
 sun. 
 
 Order and tranquillity being restored, 
 we took breakfast ; and, as the wind conti- 
 nued very strong, we expected we should 
 have to pass the night under this covering 
 of leaves ; and so we began to make some 
 improvements in it ; but, whilst busily em- 
 ployed in this endeavour, Mr. Hastie came, 
 and informed us, that the Captain, or chief 
 Maroumita thought we had better make up 
 our minds to proceed for a few hours by 
 night; at least, so long as the moon conti- 
 nued to afford us her cheering and valuable 
 rays. This advice was given and adopted, 
 on account of the impression the Captain 
 had, from the setting sun, that we should 
 F
 
 50 
 
 have wind and bad weather the next day ; 
 and now the wind had sunk with the setting 
 of the sun. 
 
 I felt somewhat timid after the dangers 
 we had experienced in the morning, to em- 
 bark by moonlight; however, after wrapp- 
 ing ourselves up warmly, for it was now 
 very cold weather, we set off, and in about 
 three hours, after a very pleasant row by 
 moonlight, which appeared to us very short, 
 as the time was beguiled by siuging and 
 cheerful conversation, we arrived at a vil- 
 lage, called Vouhitra Tsara ; or, the good 
 village. 
 
 But how shall I describe my feelings, OH 
 being carried into one of its wretched huts, 
 in which they had a large fire, burning on 
 the ground, whilst the almost naked people 
 were dancing and singing to the dreadfully 
 discordant sounds of the Turn Turn. This, 
 with the wretchedness of the house, tfce 
 gloom of which was only rendered more 
 terrific by the pale glare of light that was 
 emitted from the fire ; the horrid gestures 
 of the people, whose hair was hanging dis- 
 hevelled about their faces and necks ; and
 
 the howls, or, as they call it, Mitivu, \vhich 
 all present set up for a few moments, so 
 painfully overpowered my mind, that I was 
 obliged to make my escape. 
 
 How greatly was my agitation increased 
 on finding that neither Mr. Jeffreys, nor any 
 of our party had arrived. I ran out of the 
 house, for I was conscious of no little fear 
 at being the only female, among persons at 
 all times barbarous, but now inflamed and 
 excited by what was going forward. It was 
 some public festival which they were com- 
 memorating. I did not, however, escape 
 their notice; I was soon surrounded by 
 numbers of males and females, upon which 
 I thought it best to stand still, and not to 
 discover fear, as that might only excite 
 laughter amongst them. 
 
 I had not, however, waited long, before I 
 heard the voice of my beloved Partner, en- 
 quiring for me; and never do I recollect 
 his voice to have been more welcome to my 
 ears, than at that moment. When I had 
 somewhat recovered from the perturbation 
 into which I had been thrown, my feelings 
 were again overcome, at the recollection of
 
 52 
 
 the dangers to which I had been exposed, 
 and the merciful deliverances accomplished 
 for me. 
 
 We felt very much for the deplorable 
 barbarity and wretchedness of these poor 
 idolaters ; and devoutly prayed, that God 
 would hasten the time, when no longer to 
 an unknown deity, but to him who gave 
 himself a ransom for sinners, these poor 
 people might present songs of praise, and 
 confide in him for pardon and salvation.
 
 fcjrio oil 
 UVvL-it woli 'i -irco 63^9?coo rfo 
 
 JOURNEY TO THE CAPITAL CON- 
 TIJYUED. 
 
 MAY 26. Sabbath morning. Though repug- 
 nant to our feelings, we were obliged this 
 morning to continue our route; the wind 
 still being too strong to proceed by water, 
 Mr. Hastie kindly gave orders for Mr. Jef- 
 freys, and myself, and children, to be car- 
 ried in our cots over land, to a village a- 
 bout ten miles distant, where we took our 
 breakfast. Here the canoes met us, and 
 about three o'clock, P. M. we agaiu em- 
 barked. The rain made it very unpleasant 
 at first, but the weather soon cleared up; 
 and, after a row on a very beautiful lake, 
 we arrived at a village called Takalaiupy. 
 Our canoe, and the one in which Mr. Has- 
 F 3
 
 tie embarked, arrived earlier than those 
 which conveyed our fellow travellers. 
 
 Before we were settled in our habitation 
 for the night, however, they came up. Mr. 
 Chick was in a most deplorable condition ; 
 for his canoe had, by some means, been up- 
 set, and he was completely drenched with 
 water. His boxes had not come up ; hap- 
 pily, ours had arrived, and we supplied him 
 with linen. Through mercy, he did not suf- 
 fer from it; though we feared he would, as 
 at that time he was an invalid. 
 
 May 27. We left Takalampy very early 
 this morning; the ground was covered with 
 a thick hoar frost; and, having rather a 
 steep to descend, before we reached the 
 Lake, we found it very slippery. Mr. Has- 
 tie, with his accustomed kindness, carried 
 my babe, and also assisted me in going 
 down the hill. 
 
 The wind had quite subsided ; a perfect 
 calm had succeeded ; the bosom of the agi- 
 tated water was quite tranquil, and with 
 composure we again stepped into our ca- 
 noe. 
 
 The lakes in this part are picturesque
 
 55 
 
 and beautiful ; the grandeur of the scenery 
 sometimes delighted us ; on either side the 
 dark and unruffled lake, over which we 
 were smoothly gliding, by the well-timed 
 beat of the paddles, we had deeply embo- 
 somed woods, which echoed, in almost con- 
 stant succession, the roaring of the impetu- 
 ous waves of the ocean that were beating 
 over the sand banks at aMittle distance 
 from us. 
 
 The lakes here run in the direction of the 
 coast, and in some places approach very 
 near to it. About ten miles from Takalam- 
 py, we distinctly saw the surf of the sea, 
 and were only separated from it by a small 
 sand bank. The water of the lake too was 
 so very shallow, as not to be sufficient to 
 carry our small bark ; we therefore went 
 on shore, and after walking about a mile 
 through a wood, we came to the borders of 
 another lake. 
 
 All the luggage, and the canoes, were all 
 brought over to this spot. Here, under the 
 shade of the trees, we took our breakfast; 
 and then, re-embarking, proceeded, till we 
 came to a small but beautifully situated
 
 56 
 
 village, named Avavounga. We were much 
 pleased with the scenery. 
 
 Our route still continues to be very 
 delightful ; the lands are well-watered by 
 rivers and streams that intersect the coun- 
 try in different directions, and cover the 
 whole with a beauty and fertility that can- 
 not be surpassed, perhaps in any part of 
 the world. Perpetual verdure covers the 
 plains, so that the cattle that graze upon 
 them never know scarcity. 
 
 But the pleasure which these prospects 
 are adapted to create, is much damped by 
 the painful proofs of moral desolation ge- 
 nerally discoverable in the conduct of the 
 natives; for seldom do they meet in com- 
 panies, but they commence entertainments 
 that are full of evil ; this is no doubt con- 
 siderably occasioned by the want of civil- 
 ization. Had* they excitements to dili- 
 gence, and improvements in agriculture, 
 they would soon increase in personal pro- 
 perty, and their intercourse with each o- 
 ther would be more rational, and we should 
 hope less sinful ; and, were they acquaint- 
 ed with the true God, and the way of sal-
 
 57 
 
 vation,they would soon have happy fellow- 
 ship among themselves, 
 
 O that the plans of British Christians for 
 evangelizing and civilizing this large and 
 beautiful Island, may be crowned with suc- 
 cess. Then its plains, instead of having a 
 few cattle scattered thinly over them, would 
 be seen covered with large herds, and with 
 flocks of sheep ; the sides of [its hills would 
 wave with abundant crops of corn, and its 
 now degraded, though interesting inhabi- 
 tants, would worship the true God, each, 
 under their own vine, and their own fig- 
 tree. Then, when they met together, they 
 would think of the love of Jesus, and accost 
 each other, saying, 
 
 " We'll talk of all he did and said, 
 
 And suffer'd for us here below j 
 The path he mark'd for us to tread, 
 
 And what he's doing for us now." 
 
 And when they separated, it would be with 
 the hope of meeting in a happier world. 
 Lord, hasten this happy period, we ear- 
 nestly pray thee.
 
 May 28. This morning we left earlier 
 than usual, as Mr. Hastie informed us, that 
 there was a very fatiguing days journey 
 before us. However, after a pleasant pad- 
 dling, of twelve miles, we landed, and walk- 
 ed about a mile, through a wood, till we 
 reached the side of a small pass of water, 
 where we breakfasted. 
 
 As soon as we had recovered a little from 
 the fatigue of the morning, and our convey- 
 ances were ready, we proceeded, but not 
 by water ; as for some miles the pass was 
 so narrow as to render it not only difficult, 
 but dangerous for a canoe to be navigated. 
 \Ve were therefore once more compelled to 
 resort to our hammocks, or cots, which 
 were slung on a long pole, and borne on 
 the shoulders of four men> who regularly 
 changed every quarter of an hour ; and by 
 this conveyance we came to Maioumandea, 
 by about fonr o'clock in the afternoon ; 
 here we remained for the night. 
 
 This town, for in comparison with many 
 of the places through which we had passed 
 it was deserving of the name, was formerly 
 very flourishing. We were told, that about
 
 59 
 
 six years before the Chief of Tamatave, 
 aud some of his men had come up to it in 
 canoes with fire arms and a cannon, and 
 made dreadful havoc, and carried off much 
 plunder. This marauding system used to be 
 carried on to a most distressing extent ; but 
 now, mercifully for the poor natives, it is 
 much suppressed. Formerly, when the chief 
 of a village or town, saw his neighbouring 
 chieftain in a flourishing condition, and 
 thought he had the means of accomplishing 
 his wishes, he went to war with him, and 
 seldom failed to dispossess him, and to car- 
 ry off all that was valuable. 
 
 Here, for the first time since we left Ta- 
 matave, a distance of nearly ninety miles, 
 we saw a herd of cattle, with flocks of 
 goats and sheep. 
 
 The people received us agreeably to their 
 usual custom of welcoming strangers a- 
 raong them ; this is as follows. Strangers 
 on their arrival at a town or village are, as 
 soon as possible, greeted by the chief and 
 his ministers ; who, with several attendants 
 to carry presents of rice, poultry, or any 
 thing they may have to dispose of, enter the
 
 60 
 
 house where the traveller has called, and 
 seat themselves on the mat spread upon the 
 floor- They then present the fowls, or ducks 
 they have brought ; and, after a short pause, 
 the chief generally delivers a speech on the 
 occasion, and the stranger is expected to 
 answer him, if a foreigner, by means of an 
 interpreter. The subject of the speech is on 
 all occasions the same ; they begin, by wel- 
 coming the stranger into their village ; they 
 then enquire, whence he comes, and his de- 
 sign in visiting their country ; and request 
 to know the news there is in those parts 
 through which he has travelled ; and then 
 with much frankness they inform him of 
 all that is going on among their immediate 
 neighbours. This done, they rise ; but pre- 
 vious to their departure, the chief and his 
 minister take a few grains of the rice, and 
 eat it before the stranger, no doubt to con- 
 vince him, that they offer him the food of 
 which they usually partake ; and perhaps, 
 to remove any distrust that might exist in 
 his mind, as to the danger of eatiDg any 
 thing they had prepared. 
 "We however felt very little fear as to
 
 61 
 
 our safety amongst this people, as they had 
 hitherto manifested a spirit of generosity 
 scarcely to have been expected from those 
 who had not been accustomed to inter- 
 course with foreigners. The conduct above 
 described, certainly wears the appearance 
 of generosity ; and another mark of this 
 disposition that often struck me was, that 
 as soon as we entered a village, where we 
 intended passing the night, we were always 
 directed to the best house ; generally, to 
 that of the chief, and his family left it for 
 our accommodation. 
 
 Though often pleased with the apparent 
 liospitality of the natives, we had many 
 proofs of their being addicted to covetous- 
 ness ; for if by any untoward circumstance 
 we were compelled to remain among them 
 for any time, and needed to purchase pro- 
 vision, they would require double its va- 
 lue ; and, to justify themselves, say, Mana- 
 nanakarena ny vazaha ; or, The white man is 
 rich. One instance of this I well recollect ; 
 a woman demanded a louson, which is equal 
 to half-a crown of our money, for twelve 
 eggs. 
 
 G
 
 62 
 
 May 20. This morning Mr. Hastie ob- 
 served to us, as we left Maroumandea, that 
 he would not hurry us forward on so un- 
 promising a morning, did he not feel it to 
 be quite necessary ; from the dense and 
 dreadful fogs, which he saw arising from 
 the extensive marshes all around ; this, said 
 he, makes me anxious to proceed, for I am 
 well assured, that in them are the seeds of 
 mortality, \vhich so often destroy the Eng- 
 lish constitution. These tidings were heard 
 with anxious solicitude; yet we felt truly 
 grateful for the kind concern manifested 
 for our welfare. After expressing our ac- 
 knowledgments, we stepped into our little 
 vessel, and proceeded. We had not rowed 
 but a few miles, when the rain came on so 
 heavily, that we landed at the first village, 
 called Andivouranty. 
 
 It was about nine o'clock, and we in- 
 tended to leave as soon as we had break- 
 fasted ; the rain, however, continued to be 
 so violent, and the wind so strong, that we 
 were compelled to remain under shelter the 
 whole day ; this was a matter of great dis- 
 appointment to us ; but our patience was
 
 63 
 
 frequently put to the test in this manner, 
 and I hope we regarded it always as a call 
 to supplicate an increase of this grace from 
 him in whom is all our sufficiency, and all 
 our hope. 
 
 We were very often constrained to ex- 
 claim," Who is sufficient for these things'?" 
 Our strength is perfect weakness! Yet God 
 graciously fulfilled his promise, of strength 
 according to our day ; and often caused us 
 to say," Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all 
 that is within me bless his holy name ; bless 
 the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his 
 benefits ; who healeth all thy diseases, and 
 crowneth thee with loving-kindness, and 
 tender mercies." 
 
 Soon after our arrival, we had the accus- 
 tomed visit from the Chief and his minis- 
 ters; the present on this occasion was a 
 small quantity of rice, two couple of fowls, 
 some dried fish, and sweet potatoes. 
 
 May 31. This day we travelled to Am- 
 boubouhazou, and were thankful to learn, 
 that we had done with our canoes. It was 
 necessary to remain here all day, in order 
 to arrange the packages for the bearers 
 Q 3
 
 64 
 
 this afforded us an opportunity to recruit 
 after the fatigue of such perilous travel- 
 ling, the difficulty and anxiety of which 
 was greatly increased by my dear babe be- 
 ing only three months old. Poor fellow, he 
 had suffered much for a week past with an 
 affection on the chest, brought on, no doubt, 
 from the constant exposure to wet and cold; 
 We have, however, much cause for gratis 
 tude that our lives are still preserved: 
 
 ; ilwiiluoi^M I) ,[>;i>J ; 9iij k*iU "." 
 " Author and Guardian of my life, 
 
 Great Source of life divine ; 
 And, all harmonious names in one, 
 My Saviour! thou art mine. 
 
 " What thanks I owe thee, and what love,. 
 
 A boundless, endless store, 
 Shall echo through the realms above, 
 
 When time shall be no more." 
 
 The next morning we set off very cheer- 
 fully, indulging the hope, that our journey 
 was nearly terminated; but on saying so 
 to Mr. Hastie, and the Maroumita, we were 
 informed, that we might yet have many dif-
 
 65 
 
 ficulties to encounter, in our progress in 
 a large wood, where probably we should 
 be detained for two nights; but commit- 
 ting ourselves to the Keeper of Israel, who 
 " never slumbers or sleeps," we advanced 
 on our journey, hoping in his protection, 
 and earnestly supplicating his presence and 
 blessing.
 
 JOURNEY TO THE CAPITAL CONr 
 TINUED. 
 
 ABOUT Noon, arrived at Ranoumafana, or 
 the Hot Waters. This village is small, con- 
 taining but a few houses, and of a very in- 
 different description ; nevertheless, the hot 
 springs, that are very near to it, render it 
 one of the most remarkable places in the 
 Island. The day not being very fine, and 
 having no person to take charge of my lit- 
 tle one, I was compelled to relinquish my 
 desire of visiting this natural phenomenon. 
 Mr. Jeffreys, however, accompanied by his 
 fellow travellers, the mechanics, sought out 
 the spot ; and I learned from them, that at 
 about a quarter of a mile distant from the 
 village, they came to a wide river, over
 
 67> 
 
 which was a wooden bridge, but it appear- 
 ed in so unsafe a condition, and the current 
 beneath so rapid, that they declined cross- 
 ing: it, but sent a boy over for some of the 
 water. It was so near to the bridge, that 
 they distinctly saw the stream from the hot 
 spring running into the river ; and, when 
 the boy returned, the water was so hot, that 
 it was with no small effort that he held the 
 cup. The water is quite clear, and has no 
 unpleasant taste. Should civilization go 
 forward, and the medicinal and salutary 
 properties of these springs be analysed, 
 who can tell, but at some future day, an 
 elegant city shall be erected here, and be- 
 come the Bath of Madagascar 1 
 
 But, to return to our journey. As the dis- 
 tance was yet considerable to the place 
 we intended to remain in during the night, 
 Mr. Hastie recommended my setting off be- 
 fore Mr. J. returned from, his visit to the 
 springs; to this I consented, but had not 
 proceeded far before I regretted having 
 done so ; the road was extremely difficult, 
 and rendered so slippery from the rains, 
 that I expected every moment some accl-
 
 ctent would happen : my bearers fell seve~ 
 ral times on their knees. The hill, or ra- 
 ther mountain we ascended was so tremen- 
 dously steep, that we could scarcely keep 
 in our cots ; and what made it increasingly 
 painful was, my inability, not knowing the 
 language, to make my bearers understand 
 me, and carry my cot so that my head might 
 be higher than my feet. Finding this great 
 inconvenience, I at length requested to be 
 put down ; for I felt quite ill from the po- 
 sition in which they had carried me. 
 
 I was anxiously looking for the arrival 
 of Mr. Jeffreys and his companions, when 
 one of Mr. Hastie's servants, who under- 
 stood French, came up ; I told him my trou- 
 bles, and as he was familiar with the lan- 
 guage of the Island, he gave the necessary 
 directions to my bearers, so that from this 
 time they carried my cot in a proper man- 
 ner, and my comfort was very greatly pro- 
 moted. 
 
 However, from this time I requested Mr. 
 Jeffreys to keep within call ; but this could 
 not always be the case, as he frequently 
 walked, in order to rest his bearers, which
 
 69 
 
 I was unable to do , consequently, he was 
 often in advance. 
 
 The footpath now became so narrow, as* 
 to be scarcely, tracable, and the whole of 
 the afternoon's journey, consisted in as- 
 cending and descending lofty hills, passing 
 through thick woods, or in crossing rivers, 
 brooks, ditches, and pits ; but we arrived 
 in peace and safety about six o'clock, at 
 our resting place for the night; and, look- 
 ing back on the scenes the day had pre- 
 sented, my heart exclaimed, 
 
 '< For mercies, countless as the sands, 
 
 Which daily I receive, 
 From Jesus, my Redeemer's hands, 
 
 My soul, what can'st thou give ? 
 
 " Ah, Lord, from such .a heart as mine, ; 
 
 Unless thou bring it forth, 
 My best is stained and dyed with sin j 
 
 My all is nothing worth." 
 
 Junes. "We set off early this morning, 
 though the weather was unfavourable, and 
 my courage not a little damped at the sight
 
 70 
 
 of some tremendous hills which lay before 
 us. I endeavoured notwithstanding, to look 
 beyond the obstacles in the now long anti- 
 cipated period, when we should arrive at 
 our station ; and when I should be permit- 
 ted to lend my assistance to that cause, a 
 desire for which had attended me from my 
 earliest religious impressions, and still 
 burns in my heart. 
 
 About eleven o'clock, A. M. we halted for 
 breakfast, and it was very pleasant to ob- 
 serve the clouds disperse, and the bright 
 herald of day, bursting from the sombre 
 heavens, and adorning the face of nature 
 with cheerfulness. 
 
 After partaking cf refreshment, so great- 
 ly needed, we proceeded on our journey 
 over mountains, which in prospect ap- 
 peared inaccessible. From the height of 
 one of these, the sea was distinctly seen, at 
 the distance of about fifty miles. Here, I 
 recollect, my departed husband came to my 
 cot, and desiring my bearers to put me 
 down, he very kindly said, " My love, I 
 wish yon to alight for a moment, and take 
 a farewell view of the beautiful ocean, on
 
 71 
 
 whose bosom we sailed in safety so, long, 
 and came so far, though surrounded with 
 dangers ; alas ! from how many dear ob- 
 jects of affection and esteem does it sepa- 
 rate us!" He added, " We, perhaps, may 
 never behold it again ; and should this be 
 the case, many years will probably elapse 
 before that time arrives." As he thus ad- 
 dressed me, my swollen heart was too big 
 for utterance. u t t 
 
 But O, could I then have foreseen, that in 
 the short space of a little more than three 
 years, I was not only to see that ocean, but 
 to be made a widowed mother whilst sailing 
 over its treacherous waters, and to commit 
 to that deep tomb, the remains not only of 
 a child, but of him who was dear to me $s 
 my own soul, how would the briny flood 
 have refused concealment ! What a cause 
 for gratitude, that futurity is hidden from 
 mortal ken ! The recollection of that event 
 is too greatly overwhelming, to meditate 
 on it with calmness ; 
 
 " Wise and inscrutable are all thy ways, 
 Thou God of mercies; lead me to my Friend."
 
 The afternoon was fine, and we proceed- 
 ed more comfortably ; reached Ampasam* 
 be in the evening, and were very kindly re- 
 ceived by the people. Here we fotind an 
 instance of longevity ; for the chief of this 
 village was more than one hundred years 
 old. Mr. Hastie requested Mr. Jeffreys to 
 accompany him to his house. They found 
 on their arrival, that he had not only pre- 
 pared a present of rice and fowls, but that 
 all was ready cooked. *' Hearing you was 
 coming," said he, " I wished to have it rea- 
 dy for you to eat." He and his attendants, 
 were seated upon the floor upon clean mats, 
 which is the usual custom of the natives. 
 The rice was of the best quality, and was 
 put upon a new mat, which was placed upon 
 the ground in the centre. The fowl was fri- 
 casseed, and placed in the middle of the 
 rice. Each person being then furnished 
 with a leaf, that the natives employ as we 
 do plates, helped himself with his hands, to 
 what he pleased ; for spoons and cups are 
 not in use among them. The wives of the 
 chief were seated opposite his guests ; they 
 commenced the repast with Hanamamy, a
 
 kind of herb they eat boiled with the rice ; 
 the taste of it is bitter, and at first unplea- 
 sant to strangers, but it is considered very 
 wholesome ; after this, they partook of the 
 fowl and rice. I recollect, when Mr. J. re- 
 turned, that he said, he was not so much 
 struck with the simplicity of the manners 
 of this people, as with the apparent bene- 
 volence of their hearts. 
 
 June 3. Left Ampasambe early ; the wea- 
 ther still unfavourable, and travelling dif- 
 ficult, on account of the heavy rains. I will 
 here give the description of this morning's 
 route, from Mr. Jeffrey's Journal. Being 
 terrified, he says, at the appearance of the 
 road, I resolved to walk ; and did, till com- 
 pletely fatigued, and drenched by the pelt- 
 iiig rain. Quite exhausted, I at length got 
 into my cot, but had not been there long 
 before I repented of it ; not only because I 
 was exposed to danger, but on account of 
 my poor bearers,who could scarcely keep 
 on their feet ; my anxiety and alarm were 
 also much excited, on account of my dear 
 wife and child, as they were still far be- 
 hiud. She, 1 knew, would suffer much from 
 
 H
 
 74 
 
 fear, as also from difficulty to keep herself 
 in her cot, with her infant charge. At one 
 time we ascended steeps, or rather precipi- 
 ces ; at another, we descended into deep ca- 
 verns ; sometimes, we were thrown sudden- 
 ly on our feet ; and then tossed again near- 
 ly on our heads. I left my cot as soon as I 
 came to a place from which it could be let . 
 down safely, but found myself unable to 
 stand on my feet, unless one of my bearers 
 walked close behind me, to assist me up 
 and down the steeps, and to carry me across 
 the water, which in sveral places it was ne- 
 cessary to go through. I was perfectly asto- 
 nished to see the bearers travel so easily 
 along places where I could scarcely stand, 
 and at the same time carrying burdens of 
 fifty pounds each. 
 
 We halted about noon, and took break- 
 fast. Our spirits and strength were great- 
 ly exhausted ; indeed, during our route, I 
 never recollect having seen Mr. Jeffreys so 
 depressed ; I therefore endeavoured to be 
 cheerful, though my heart was indeed very 
 sad. 
 
 In the after part of the day, the road was
 
 75 
 
 better, and the weather became fair. We 
 reached Befoura, a poor village, about four 
 o'clock, and tarried there one day, which 
 greatly refreshed us all ; and then, on the 
 following morning, as early as six o'clock, 
 we commenced our journey, and came very 
 soon to a thick forest, difficult to pass 
 through, because it had not been at all 
 cleared to open a road for travellers. The 
 distance through it is about sixty miles. 
 Mr. Hastie urged our leaving early, and 
 performing the greatest half that day, in 
 order to save sleeping in the forest two 
 nights. We used every effort to accomplish 
 this, as the dangers of so exposed a situa- 
 tion were considerable. 
 
 Mr. Jeffreys, and myself, had proceeded 
 before the rest of our party ; and, from one 
 of the heights, we had an interesting sight 
 of the Maroumita, or bearers, and our fel- 
 low travellers; they were about two hun- 
 dred and thirty in number : they were la- 
 bouring up a steep hill, most of them bear- 
 ing heavy burdens. Some supported on their 
 shoulders, those who had left England to 
 introduce a knowledge of the most useful 
 
 H2
 
 arts into this Island; others bending under 
 large weighty boxes; and others had smal^ 
 ler packages to carry, fastened to bam- 
 boos ; but all cheerful and happy, pressing 
 forwards, I will not say whistling as they 
 journeyed, for that is au amusement of 
 which they have little idea, but making a 
 noise expressive of satisfaction, which is 
 peculiar to themselves. We felt much plea- 
 sure in beholding so great a number of per- 
 sons thus employed in carrying to the ca- 
 pital the means which, in the hand of God, 
 will prove so many sources of bliss, and 
 fertilize this country; and that pleasure 
 was not a little heightened by the recol- 
 lection, that this all came from our own na-, 
 tive land. 
 
 We stopped about noon to breakfast, un- 
 der the shelter of some large trees. Whilst 
 here, messengers arrived from King Radan 
 ma, with letters to Mr. Hastie, requiring 
 an immediate answer. This detained us a 
 short time; but as soon as the King's mes- 
 sengers had received their dispatches, we 
 pursued our journey, and found it as full 
 of perplexities, as any day I could recol^
 
 lect. When my bearers halted about five o' 
 clock in the afternoon, I found my husband 
 was not in sight, and that I was alone with 
 these strangers. The sun was just sinking 
 beneath the horizon. I could not converse 
 with my attendants, and I was becoming- 
 very distressed, till I perceived Mr. Hastie 
 coming rapidly towards us from among the 
 trees. Perceiving my trouble, he kindly as- 
 sured me he would not leave me any more, 
 till we came to Mr. Jeffreys, and the rest 
 of the party. He also provided me with re- 
 freshment, and so prepared me to endure 
 the remaining part of this days fatigueing 
 journey, which he said was very near five 
 miles. 
 
 The shades of the evening came rapidly 
 upon us, and darkness soon enveloped us. 
 The Maka, a species of monkey common 
 here, made a great noise in the woods a- 
 round, and excited my fears lest there 
 should be wild beasts near at hand. From 
 this apprehension Mr. Hastie relieved me, 
 by declaring there were none. I therefore 
 lay as close and still as I could in the cot, 
 till the murmur of persons talking at a lit- 
 H s
 
 73 
 
 tie distance, roused my attention ; full of- 
 delight, I rose up and found myself near 
 the spot where it had been fixed on to stay 
 during the night. Our friends, Chick and 
 Canham, had come at the request of my 
 husband to meet me ; he was so exhausted 
 by fatigue as to be unable to do it. 
 
 We were soon, through the kindness of 
 our heavenly Keeper, permitted to meet a- 
 round a cheerful fire; but it was not in the 
 elegantly furnished parlour of an English 
 hotel ; nor in such habitations as are occu- 
 pied by our friends in England ; no, we 
 had no ceiling but the starry heavens, and 
 no carpet but the green turf. Here, the so- 
 fa, on which I usually slept, supplied us 
 with a table; and the sacks of rice, flour, 
 and sugar, that we carried with us, afford- 
 ed us seats. Some provision having been 
 prepared, we ate it, I hope with gratitude, 
 as we most certainly did with very great 
 pleasure. 
 
 As soon as Mr. Hastie had marked out 
 the spot for our camp, the attendants began 
 to prepare it, by setting up long sticks for 
 supporters, and covering them with grass
 
 and leaves This done, some stronger poles* 
 were driven into the ground, and upon them? 
 our cots were hung, side by side, as near to 
 each other as they could be. In order ta 
 secure ourselves from damp air, or rain, 
 we covered our cots with painted cloths, 
 mats, or any other suitable article we could 
 muster. In addition to this, several fires 
 were kindled, and persons appointed to look 
 after them all night. We then retired to 
 our hammocks. How others of our party 
 felt, I cannot tell ; but my anxiety was so 
 great, that my petitions were many and ar- 
 dent, that the Keeper of Israel would pre- 
 serve us from all danger during our repose. 
 Never do I recollect having seen so much 
 beauty in the ninety-first Psalm, as on this 
 night. 
 
 Having been once disturbed by my dear 
 child, I was alarmed with the apprehen- 
 sion of our camp being on fire, and called 
 Mr. Jeffreys, who soon tranquillized my 
 mind, by assuring me it was only the glare 
 of the fires, kindled for our protection. It 
 was, however, sometime before I could com- 
 pose myself to rest again ; and the constant?
 
 80 
 
 noise of the Maka, increased ray uneasi- 
 ness ; for, although assured that these ani- 
 mals were not to be feared as creatures of 
 prey, yet I suspected we might suffer from 
 their mischievous tricks. 
 
 This animal is about the size of a cat ; 
 the hair is long, and rather soft ; the nose 
 also is long and sharp; it has small eyes, 
 and paws resembling those of the monkey; 
 its tail is long, and bushy ; the swiftness 
 with which it leaps from branch to branch, 
 or from one tree to another, is astonishing. 
 "We brought one with us from the Isle of 
 France, hoping to introduce it to our Eng- 
 lish friends ; but as it subsists principally 
 upon fruits and berries, we could not pro- 
 perly supply its wants, though we had a 
 good stock of raisins and sweet biscuits on 
 board. Soon after we had passed the Azo- 
 res, the poor animal appeared to suffer 
 much from the change of climate, the wea- 
 ther then becoming cold and unsettled, the 
 little creature lost its spirits, and died in a 
 few days. 
 
 June 6. \Ve were called up very early 
 this morning by Mr. Hastie, aud were soon
 
 ready to leave our temporary encampment, 
 which we did with feelings of gratitude to, 
 our kind Preserver ; 
 
 " Whose minist'ring spirits descend, 
 To watch whilst his saints are asleep ; 
 By day and by night they attend, 
 The heirs of salvation to keep. 
 
 " Bright seraphs dispatcji'd from the throne, 
 Repair to their stations assign'd ; 
 And angels elect are sent down, 
 To guard the elect of mankind." 
 
 A thick hoar frost covered the ground ; 
 and, as the scene to me was novel in this- 
 country, my imagination soon crossed the? 
 Great Atlantic, and pictured to my mind a 
 winter's morning in my dear native land, 
 but recollection as hastily conveyed me 
 back, to be occupied by the objects around 
 me; and the events connected with that 
 part of the country through which our road, 
 lay. The scenery around was very beautU 
 ful, and our road so good, that we really ; 
 enjoyed travelling.
 
 82 
 
 The place at which we halted to break- 
 fast, was made very interesting to us, by 
 the remembrance of those events, which are 
 particularly mentioned in the Missionary 
 Chronicle for June 1821. Here Mr. Hastie 
 told us, a most heart-rending scene present- 
 ed itself before him, when as Commissioner 
 of the British Government, in company with 
 the Rev. D. Jones, they were on their way 
 to treat with Kiog Radama for the entire 
 abolition of the Slave trade, and the protec- 
 tion of Christian missionaries in the Island 
 of Madagascar'; more than a thousand slaves 
 of different descriptions, fettered and chain- 
 ed together, proceeding towards the coast, 
 attended by drivers who had them in charge 
 to sell to those dealers in human flesh, that 
 waited there, and calculated on their arri- 
 val. 
 
 We recollected with pleasure, that these 
 were the last that, with the permission of 
 Radama, ever were assembled to be sold 
 out of their native Island; we recollected 
 the success which crowned that embassy, 
 and the unusual joy that filled the minds of 
 the thousands assembled at the capital
 
 83 
 
 when that treaty was signed, and pledges 
 most nobly made by the King, that it should 
 cease through all his dominions ; we called 
 to mind how, when the proclamation came 
 to the coast, the unsold slaves were sent 
 back into their own country, to be variously 
 employed in cultivating its lands; and as* 
 surances given them, that they should never 
 be forced to leave it. These recollections 
 filled our hearts with gladness, and this 
 was not a little promoted by the remem- 
 brance, that our own native land had been 
 instrumental in accomplishing these great 
 things for the people. Whilst thankful for 
 what had been done, we prayed, that the 
 period might soon arrive, when no man on 
 earth should be found base enough to trade 
 in the blood of his brother. 
 
 To show that Radama, King of Ouva, 
 was fully disposed to abandon this horrid 
 traffic, and cheerfully to relinquish every 
 increase that it brought to his revenue, for 
 the high gratification of seeing the condi- 
 tion of his people improved, by the intro- 
 duction of the arts and sciences, and the 
 knowledge of the Christian religion,! shall
 
 64 
 
 present my readers, with copies of the two 
 proclamations which he sent forth at the 
 signing of the treaty. The first was distri- 
 buted into every district of his own Island, 
 to put an entire stop to the Slave trade; 
 and the latter, addressed to the London 
 Missionary Society, and forwarded by the 
 hands of his own brother. 
 The first is as follows ; 
 
 Inhabitants^ of Madagascar ; 
 
 YOU are none of you ignorant 
 of the friendship we enjoy with the Gover- 
 nor of Mauritius (Governor Farquhar), and 
 the devoted attachment we have avowed to 
 him ; his attention, unlike that of all other 
 foreign nations which have visited our 
 shores, has been directed to increase our 
 happiness and prosperity ; he has never de- 
 prived us of our rights and properties. He 
 has not suffered the white men to carry off 
 our children into slavery, he has sent us 
 people to teach us arts, and industry un- 
 known to us before; to defend us against
 
 our enemies, and to prevent famine by a 
 more extended cultivation. We are hap- 
 pier and safer, since the establishment of 
 British dominion in our neighbourhood, and 
 we are grateful to our good Father, who 
 has procured for us these blessings. 
 
 His Nation and King have made laws to 
 prevent you from being carried out of your 
 Island into slavery ; and he has punished 
 such of the whites as have presumed to vi- 
 olate this law. 
 
 He has called on us to assist him in this 
 work for our own benefit; and he has pro-' 
 mised his powerful assistance to punish 
 such as may be refractory or disobedient. 
 
 AVe willingly agree to this proposal of 
 Our Father; and humbly declare, that if 
 any of our subjects, or persons depending 
 on our power, shall henceforward be guil- 
 ty of selling any slave, or other person, for 
 the purpose of being transported from the 
 Island of Madagascar, the person guilty, 
 shall be punished by being reduced to sla- 
 very himself, and his property shall be for- 
 feited to me. 
 
 Let my subjects then, who have slaves,
 
 86 
 
 employ them in planting rice and other pro- 
 visions, and in taking care of their flocks 
 and herds; in collecting bees- wax, and 
 gums ; and in manufacturing cloths, and 
 other articles, which they can sell. I set 
 them the first example myself, by abandon- 
 ing the tax payable to me upon the sale of 
 slaves for exportation. 
 
 I direct my brother, Jean Rene, and other 
 chiefs upon the sea-coasts, to seize for their 
 own use and profit, all such slaves as may 
 be attempted to be exported in their re- 
 spective provinces ; they will also give e- 
 very support and assistance to the govern- 
 ment Agent of Mauritius, in the execution 
 of his duties. 
 
 I command all my subjects and depend- 
 ants, and invite all my allies, to abstain 
 from any maritime predatory excursions 
 whatever ; and, more particularly, neither 
 to practise nor allow of any attack, or at- 
 tempt upon the friends our ally, the Brit- 
 ish nation. 
 
 It has been usual to make an annual at- 
 tack upon the Sultan of Johanna, and the 
 Comoro Islands. Our good friend, the Go-
 
 87 
 
 vernor of Mauritius, dissolved the meditat- 
 ed attack of last year ; and we now join 
 with him in forbidding any farther enmity 
 to the King, or inhabitants of the Comoro 
 Archipelago, or other islands on the coast 
 of Africa, or north Archipelago, under the 
 pain of our most severe displeasure; and 
 of incurring the punishment due to pirates, 
 of whatever nation or people they may be. 
 
 SUCH IS MY WILL; 
 
 Let it be known to every inhabitant of this 
 Island; it is for their own happiness, and 
 their own safety, to pay obedience to this 
 proclamation. 
 
 Signed, 
 
 RADAMA. 
 
 Renewed, Oct. 11, 1820. 
 
 The other is addressed, in the form of a 
 letter, to the London Missionary Society, 
 i2
 
 88 
 
 it is a most interesting document, and can-, 
 not be perused by any benevolent individur 
 al without delight. 
 
 Gentlemen, 
 
 WHEN the Treaty was concluded 
 between me and Governor Farquhar, which 
 has for its object the cessation of the ex- 
 portation of Slaves from the Island of Ma- 
 dagascar, the Missionary, Mr. David Jones, 
 accompanied the Commissioner from the 
 British Government, and arrived at Tana- 
 nariveu, the capital of my kingdom, with 
 the intention of paying me a visit to solicit 
 from me leave to settle, with other Mission- 
 aries, in my dominions. 
 
 Having informed myself of his profession 
 and mission, I acquiesced with much plea- 
 sure in his request. Mr. Jones, your Mis- 
 sionary, having satisfied me, that those sent 
 out by your society have no other object 
 than to enlighten the people by persuasion, 
 and conviction, and to discover to them the 
 means of becoming happy, by evangelizing
 
 89 
 
 and civilizing them, after the manner of Eu- 
 ropean nations ; and this, not by force, con- 
 trary to the light of their understandings ; 
 therefore, Gentlemen, I request you to send 
 me, if convenient, as many Missionaries, as 
 you may deem proper, together with their 
 families, if they desire it; provided you 
 send skilful artizans, to make my people 
 workmen, as well as good Christians. 
 
 I avail myself of this opportunity, Gen- 
 tlemen, to promise all the protection, the 
 safety, the respect, and the tranquillity, 
 which they may require from my subjects. 
 The Missionaries who are now particularly 
 needed, are persons who are able to in- 
 struct my people in the Christian religion, 
 and various trades ; such as weaving, car- 
 pentering, gardening, &c. I shall expect, 
 Gentlemen, from you a satisfactory answer, 
 by an early opportunity. 
 
 Accept, Gentlemen, the assurances of my 
 esteem and affection. 
 
 f. ililv bu'ho 
 Signed, 
 
 RAD AM A, King. 
 
 Tananarive, Oct. 29, 1830. 
 I B
 
 90 
 
 It was in consequence of this letter, 
 brought to England by Prince Ratafi, that 
 the following May, the Society in London 
 were induced to send Mr. Jeffreys, and my- 
 self, with the artizans which accompanied 
 us, to Madagascar. It is right we should 
 say, that we uniformly found the King act- 
 ing iu harmony with the liberal sentiments 
 which he professed. 
 
 But, to return to the narrative of our 
 journey to the Capital. When we had tak- 
 en breakfast, we entered on a beautiful 
 plain ; cattle were feeding on every side, 
 and the sheep especially, were bleating a- 
 round us in great numbers. This so revived 
 our spirits, that although the journey of the 
 day was long, yet we seemed but little sen- 
 sible of fatigue when we arrived in the e 
 vening at the village of Amouramanga, a 
 place considerably larger than any we had 
 passed through before ; and in it we were 
 provided with a better dwelling than any 
 we had occupied since we left Tamatave. 
 Every thing appeared clean and comforta- 
 ble; and the recollection of the unplea-
 
 91 
 
 santness of the preceding night, spent in: < 
 the woods, made it doubly welcome to us. 
 Thus we were not destitute of some daily 
 drops of mercy in this desert land j and in- 
 deed they were so sweet and encouraging, 
 as to prevent our murmuring against our 
 heavenly Father, even when experiencing 
 severe trials and privations. 
 
 We rose early in the morning, greatly re- 
 freshed, but could not commence our jour- 
 ney, on account of a dense fog, till after 
 nine o'clock. The. bearers employed them- 
 selves in slaughtering a bullock ; and when 
 they had feasted plentifully on its flesh, 
 they cheerfully commenced their labours 
 of carrying us and our luggage over the 
 plain. 
 
 This was almost the only day in which I 
 could say, that I enjoyed travelling ; it was 
 fine, but not hot, so that I sat up, and 
 nursed my dear child most of the way. 
 
 Early in the afternoon, we arrived at Am- 
 bouhiditrimou, a village situated on the 
 top of a steep hill, surrounded by a deep 
 ravine, at the bottom of which are some ex- 
 cellent rice grounds. Before we came to
 
 this place, we crossed the river Mauga ; it 
 is deep and rapid ; and we were told, that 
 the crocodile was often seen in it. Such was 
 the kindness of our heavenly Father, that 
 though I often feared, yet I was not even 
 permitted. to see the evil.
 
 CLOSE OF THE JOURNEY TO THE 
 CAPITAL. 
 
 JUNE 8. We quitted Ambouhiditrimou. 
 It soon appeared evident, that our journey 
 would be move mountainous than it had 
 been for several days before. Indeed, all 
 the way from the coast, the country is plea- 
 santly diversified by gently rising ground, 
 on which the villages and small towns are 
 built; but the nearer we approached to the 
 centre of the island, we found it more va- 
 ried with hill and dale. 
 
 "While we sat at breakfast in the open 
 air, the inhabitants of a neighbouring vil- 
 lage perceived us, and came to bring their 
 fowls, eggs, ducks, &c. and requested us to 
 purchase them, or to exchange them, for;
 
 some article that we had brought with us 
 from England. Some wished for a needle, 
 others for a piece of cloth, or a few pins, 
 and were delighted with the exchange they 
 made. Three fowls, and a duck, were re- 
 ceived instead of a piece of blue cloth, not 
 worth more than sevenpence of our money, 
 and other things equally cheap. 
 
 The land now more clearly exhibited the 
 marks of cultivation than any we had pas- 
 sed through. Small enclosures surrounded 
 most of the houses, in which were planta- 
 tions of rice and barley; and the herds of 
 cattle which grazed in their meadows, put 
 us in mind of some parts of England and 
 Wales ; and had it not been for the singu* 
 lar appearance of the human beings about 
 us, I could sometimes have imagined my* 
 self in Britain. 
 
 At length, wearied with my cot, I stopped 
 my bearers, gave one of them my babe to 
 carry in his arms into the village, with 
 which office he appeared highly pleased, 
 and I walked the last mile. The natives 
 welcomed us into their village, which was 
 very small, but as it had one house of clay
 
 95 
 
 in it, which the people considered superior 
 to their erections of wood, they appointed 
 this to be our inn; and as they in civility 
 had so directed, we could not choose for 
 ourselves, or we certainly should not have 
 preferred it. It seemed to tell us, that the 
 builders had never before attempted such a 
 work; the walls and floor were all of the 
 same colour, and it felt, as it really was, 
 dirty, and uncomfortable. The rats too had 
 chosen the large heaps of rice that were 
 stored up in it as the place of their general 
 rendezvous; one would have supposed, for 
 they were running in all directions through 
 the dwelling with such daring impudence, 
 that I found it almost impossible to give 
 slumber to my eye-lids during the first part 
 of the night; and when through fatigue, 1 
 did, I was soon awaked by a bite on the 
 hand from one of them. However, 1 covered 
 myself completely with the bed-clothes, and 
 so slept undisturbed for several hours. 
 
 The next morning we left our mud-wall 
 cottage at an early hour, as we expected 
 the journey might be attended with difficul- 
 ties. They soon commenced, by our having
 
 to ascend a steep rock, the pathway of which 
 was so narrow, that I was obliged to walk. 
 Having passed the rock, we came to a river 
 of considerable width ; here my bearers in- 
 formed me, that I could not be carried over 
 in the cot, it was so deep. I perceived, by 
 signs they made me, that they intended to 
 carry me on their hands, raised above their 
 heads. This alarmed me at first, because 
 the rest of the party had gone forward, and 
 1 felt my situation to be very unpleasant. 
 But divesting myself as much as possible 
 of fear, I gave myself up to them ; and I 
 must confess, it was a matter of high grati- 
 fication, to observe the delicacy and atten- 
 tions manifested by these untutored hea- 
 then. I will relate particulars. . When we 
 halted, one of them walked into the water, 
 to some distance ; there unrobing* himself, 
 he proceeded to the other side of the river, 
 and returned, to give me proof that there 
 was no danger. He said, as he came up, 
 Aza mataohotttra tsi maniny ; the English of 
 which is," Do not fear, it is nothing." Two 
 of them then took up my cot, and another, 
 wrapping my dear babe safely up in his
 
 97 
 
 own robe, held him on his head, and pro 4 - 
 ceeded with him through the stream. Then 
 three others prepared to conduct me in the 
 same manner ; they made choice of the best 
 and cleanest of their robes to wrap around 
 me, and did it with much nicety, carefully 
 covering my feet. I was then given to un- 
 derstand, that I must sit on the head of one, 
 have a second to bear my feet on his head, 
 and be balanced by a third walking behind 
 to support my back with his hands. I pro- 
 ceeded in safety, and remembered the lan- 
 guage which God spake to his church by 
 4iis ancient Prophet, " When thou passest 
 through the waters, I will be with thee, and 
 through the rivers they shall not overflow 
 thee;" and I had comfort in the recollec- 
 tion. 
 
 About half past twelve we overtook our 
 party, and breakfasted together, on the bor- 
 ders of a large wood, from whence the in- 
 habitants of Tananarivou are supplied with 
 timber for building, and abundance of fuel. 
 I found that my long retarded arrival had 
 awakened considerable solicitude in the 
 mind of Mr. Jeffreys, and others, on my ac- 
 
 K
 
 93 
 
 count. "We sang a hymn of praise together, 
 and after breakfast proceeded through the 
 forest towards Ambatoumanga. 
 
 This town is full in view for three miles 
 before the traveller enters it. We got there 
 about five in the afternoon. It is situated 
 on a lofty hill, that appears as though bro- 
 ken by some convulsion of nature from an 
 immense rock that stands near to it. Round 
 both is an extensive plain, which yields the 
 inhabitants large crops of rice ; three hou- 
 ses stand on the top of the rock, and have 
 the appearance of a fortification command- 
 ing the town ; this> together with the build- 
 ings standing one above another, and scat- 
 tered on the sides of the hill, present to the 
 eye of the traveller a picture of no little 
 interest. 
 
 "We passed the night in a house belong- 
 ing to King Radama; it was so completely 
 enclosed, that the crowds of natives could 
 not come to annoy us, by looking into our 
 dwelling, as they had done at every other 
 place where we had passed the night. The 
 quiet enjoyed here greatly delighted us; 
 and we had an opportunity in this tranquil
 
 99 
 
 place of uniting to praise God, who had 
 conducted us so near to our place of desti- 
 nation, and in circumstances of so much 
 mercy. We said, 
 
 " Thus far the Lord has led us on, 
 Thus far his power prolongs our days ; 
 And every evening shall make known, 
 Some fresh memorials of his grace." 
 
 Next morning, our kind conductor, Mr. 
 Hastie, advised that we should breakfast 
 before we commenced our journey; this is 
 not usual with travellers from this station, 
 as it delays the time of entering the capital 
 to a late hour ; but we were pleased that 
 we did so. I can never forget the lively 
 emotions with which we began this days 
 journey, and it was truly an interesting 
 day ; the kindness of God, which had at- 
 tended us through all our route, was ve- 
 ry much in our remembrance, and was quite 
 overwhelming; it constrained us to utter 
 many vows of entire devotedness to his ser- 
 vice, and the spiritual good of the poor 
 heathen. 
 
 K3
 
 100 
 
 As we approached the capital, villages, 
 aud small towns presented themselves in al- 
 most every direction ; and all the surround- 
 ing country bare marks of the progress of 
 agriculture: but let me not be misunder- 
 stood, these were not the most fertile spots 
 through which we had passed ; the long 
 drought during the winter mouths forbids 
 every thing like spontaneous vegetation in 
 this quarter, and denies the people of Ou- 
 va more than one crop annually. Near the 
 coast, the earth generally yields two crops 
 in the year, and that almost without the aid 
 of man. 
 
 When about five miles from the capital, 
 my attendants gave all at once, a sudden 
 and most amazing shout, which greatly a- 
 larmed me, till I learned the occasion of it, 
 and then my heart, like theirs, was full of 
 exultation. We had just reached the top of 
 the hill, and a full view of the long desired 
 capital at this moment presented itself. 
 Full of animation, Mr. Jeffreys came to my 
 cot, and said, " Arise, and see the spot, so- 
 long and so earnestly looked for ; there is. 
 Tananarivou !" The sight seemed to inspirq
 
 101 
 
 all with the liveliest emotions, though they 
 were doubtless very different in their na- 
 ture. 
 
 It was matter of joy and gratitude to the 
 Missionaries, that they had been brought so 
 far, and conducted through so many diffi- 
 culties and dangers, in health and safety, 
 and that at length we were so near the scene 
 of our intended labours. Mr. Hastie found 
 it a moment of much satisfaction, that he 
 had been favoured to conduct &o large & 
 number of Europeans so far into the coun- 
 try, and in such pleasant circumstances; 
 and the poor bearers, doubtless, were not 
 less delighted, at the prospect of soon lay- 
 ing aside those burdens, beneath the pres- 
 sure of which they had been toiling for 
 near three hundred miles. It was indeed to 
 us all, 
 
 " As when the weary traveller gains 
 The height of some o'erlooking hill, 
 His heart revives, if cross the plains 
 He eyes his home though distant still." 
 
 About one mile distant from the capital, 
 
 K3
 
 ]O2 
 
 a beautiful river appears, taking a serpen<- 
 tine direction through the plain, and emp- 
 tying itself into the Mozambique Channel , 
 on the western side of the Island. It is na- 
 vigable for small vessels, to a considerable 
 distance up the country ; but a tremendous 
 cataract about two days journey from the 
 capital, prevents any intercourse being car- 
 ried on by navigation. If this could be efi- 
 fected, it would be an advantage of im- 
 mense magnitude.
 
 ENTRANCE INTO THE CAPITAL. 
 
 THE base of the hill on which the capital 
 stands, stretches from north to south for 
 more than a mile. The buildings run in the 
 direction of the hill, but have no other uni- 
 formity than the situation of the door ; this 
 generally opens to the west. The most mo- 
 dern of the houses are much superior to 
 what are found on the coast, as they are 
 built chiefly of wood; there is but little 
 difference between the abodes of the rich 
 and the poor, except that the former are 
 somewhat larger, and contain the largest 
 quantity of rice and mats : the streets are 
 so narrow and uneven as scarcely to deserve 
 the name, though there are many thousand 
 inhabitants who reside in the place.
 
 I must now relate our entrance into the 
 capital, and the nature of the reception we 
 received. At the bottom of the hill we halt- 
 ed to take refreshment, kindly prepared for 
 us by Mrs. Griffiths; and also, to make 
 some change in our dress. We then, in com- 
 pany with Prince Rafarata, and Mr. Brady, 
 the English general, in their regimental 
 dress, and the Rev. D. Jones, and D. Grif- 
 fiths, and some of their pupils, began to 
 ascend the hill, which was announced by a 
 salute of guns from the top. When we en- 
 tered the town, the streets were thronged 
 with spectators ; but their behaviour was 
 such as to do credit to the inhabitants of 
 any of the large towns of our own country, 
 on any public occasion; great curiosity- 
 was discernable, but there was no approach 
 to rudeness or disorder ; on the contrary, all 
 was decorum and cheerfulness. Mr. Hastie 
 carried my child, then nearly four mouths 
 old, up the hill, and through the city to the 
 palace. Soie troops, dressed and disci- 
 plined after the European manner, wiere 
 drawn up in the court yard previous to our 
 arrival ; as we entered, the drums beat, the
 
 105 
 
 soldiers presented arms, and we only wait- 
 ed the mandate to come into the Royal pre- 
 sence. 
 
 His Majesty, Radama, was standing on a 
 raised platform in the front of the palace. 
 He soon gave the signal for Mr. Hastie to 
 approach ; he did so, taking my child with 
 him ; on presenting him to the King, he 
 said, " I have brought you an English little 
 boy." He took him in his arms, and then 
 gave him to Mrs. Griffiths. Mr. Hastie then 
 returned, and conducted Mr. Jeffreys and 
 myself to the King, who kindly assisted me 
 with his hand to ascend the platform, and 
 then conducted me into the palace; the ta- 
 ble was laid (a 1* Anglais) for dinner, and to 
 my surprize, I found we were expected to 
 dine there. 
 
 Radama soon shewed himself to be a very 
 pleasant and intelligent man. Dinner was 
 served up in an elegant manner, and the 
 different dishes were well cooked; the com- 
 pany present were, the King, Prince Ratafi, 
 Prince Rafarata, two generals, with our 
 general Brady, Mr. Hastie, and the Mis- 
 sionaries, with their families.
 
 106 
 
 Mr. Hastie, according to the usual cus- 
 tom, presented to the King a piece of gold 
 in our name, saying, Manassin a toumpacala- 
 hi ; or, " Token of respect to you, Master I" 
 We were taken after dinner to the house 
 kindly appointed for us by the King ; Mr. 
 Hastie, who appeared very desirous to see 
 us comfortably accommodated and settled, 
 was our conductor ; to his unremitting at- 
 tention and kindness, during the whole of 
 the journey, I feel a pleasure in having an 
 opportunity publicly to bear a grateful tes- 
 timony ; may he be long spared, and prove 
 a blessing to that large and very interesting 
 island. (1) 
 
 Thanks be to our heavenly Father, for 
 preserving us so far, and through so many 
 dangers ; may his distinguished goodness 
 to me and mine, prove a powerful incentive 
 to a full and unwavering reliance on him in 
 future seasons of trial and distress ! Well 
 indeed may I say, 
 
 " His love in times past, 
 Forbids me to think, 
 
 (1) Recent Letters have brought the painful intelli- 
 gence of his decease.
 
 307 
 
 He'll leave me at last, 
 
 In trouble to sink; 
 Each sweet Ebenezer, , ^ 
 
 I have in review, 
 Confirms his good pleasure, 
 To help me quite through." 
 
 :-i#&L IUCB liquor, i 
 
 : if -f.l'd- r:o .'aus/ 
 
 On the following morning the King sent 
 us a handsome present ; it consisted of a 
 sheep, a couple of ducks, and fifty eggs ; 
 many other persons also, for sometime after 
 our arrival, frequently sent us presents of 
 poultry and eggs. Two servants were also 
 kindly given us by the King ; a boy and a 
 girl, each about eleven years of age. 
 
 June 16. Sabbath day. We attended the 
 school under the direction of our friends, 
 as early as seven o'clock ; the children ap- 
 peared so clean and respectable, that we 
 were quite delighted ; the boys were dres- 
 sed in white jackets and trowsers, and the 
 girls in white frocks. Our pleasure was far- 
 ther heightened, by the admirable order so 
 evidently apparent, and by hearing these 
 dear children join in the praises of God, 
 After singing, the children were cate-
 
 108 
 
 chised in their own language; the cate* 
 chism was dr,awn up by Mr. Jones, and was 
 very similar to that of Dr. Watts. 
 
 Public service commenced at ten o'clock, 
 at the house of Mr. Griffiths ; my beloved 
 husband spoke from Acts viii. 39. " He 
 weot on his way rejoicing." In the after- 
 noon, the children again met, and the cor- 
 rectness with which they repeated their va- 
 rious lessons much pleased us, and made us 
 long for the time when we should be able to 
 communicate instruction to young people so 
 interesting and attentive. 
 
 June 17. The proposal of Mr. Hastie is 
 assented to by the King, and he designs at- 
 tending a public examination of the schools 
 to-day; and about three o'clock, the King, 
 in his state dress, accompanied by the Brit- 
 ish agent, and Prince Ratafi, the King's 
 brother in law, entered the school under the 
 care of Mr. Jones. The first class showed 
 their writing in small hand, read the se- 
 venth of the Acts in English, and translat- 
 ed some words into their own language; the 
 second read part of the nineteenth chapter 
 of St. John's Gospel, spelled many words
 
 109 
 
 of three syllables, and translated a few into 
 their own tongue. The third class were ex- 
 amined in orthography, and shewed writing 
 ;in large hand; the fourth and fifth classes 
 spelled, and wrote on slates. Some of the 
 children had been so recently introduced 
 to the school, that they could take no part 
 in these exercises : the number in the school 
 was forty-eight. 
 
 \Ve afterwards visited the school of Mr. 
 Griffiths, where a similar examination took 
 place; the number of pupils were thirty- 
 seven. The girls exhibited some work, that 
 did them much credit ; indeed, the progress 
 which had been made by all was highly 
 gratifying, and we departed full of hope, 
 that we had beheld the dawn of happier 
 times in Madagascar. We afterwards par- 
 took of an excellent dinner at Mr.Hastie's; 
 thus this interesting day was closed. 
 
 June 19. This was the great feast, which 
 is always observed previously to the King's 
 departure for war; it commenced this even- 
 ing. Its origin no doubt is of ancient date, 
 and probably its celebration was formerly 
 attended with many more superstitious ob- 
 x
 
 110 
 
 servances than at present. Whatever im- 
 portance the generality of the people may 
 attach to this feast, it is evident the King 
 regards it only as it may serve political 
 purposes. As he expressed a wish that the 
 Europeans should be present, Mr. Jeffreys, 
 accompanied Mr. Griffiths to the house in 
 which the ceremony was to take place. 
 
 Mr. Jeffreys informed me, that they found 
 a large concourse of people assembled in 
 the Court Yard ; after waiting a short time, 
 a gun announced, that the King was com- 
 ing to the bath. He soon arrived at Besa- 
 kana, the name of the house; he then took 
 off his robes, and retired to an adjoining 
 apartment, where he bathed in water, pre- 
 viously prepared for the purpose, by some 
 religious ceremony. He returned from the 
 bath, bringing with him a portion of the 
 water, to signify that the omens were fa- 
 vourable, and sprinkled some of it upon his 
 mother, his wives, his sisters, and other re- 
 lations who were present on this occasion. 
 In one part of the house, over a large fire, 
 was boiling some of the beef, which had 
 been preserved from the feast of the last
 
 Ill 
 
 year ; some of it was handed round, and all 
 the company partook of it; and thus the ce- 
 remony closed for the evening. 
 
 The next morning, as early as six o' 
 clock, the King entered the Court Yard, 
 and killed, or rather sacrificed, a young 
 heifer. Whilst it was yet warm with life, a 
 piece was cut out, which he tasted, and 
 blessed God for the enjoyments of the past 
 year, and solicited a continuance of them 
 for the year on which they, were now enter- 
 ing. Fires were kindled at the same time 
 opposite the tombs of his ancestors ; these 
 resemble a row of small houses, and ill 
 them were deposited the remains of the 
 royal family ; and I believe they are never 
 opened, but when some member of it ex- 
 pires. 
 
 The services here being ended, the King 
 departed for Ambouhimanga, the village of- 
 his father, as it is called, where he again- 
 went through the same ceremonies, and re- 
 turned about twelve o'clock. A gun an- 
 nounced his arrival at the foot of the hill, 
 and we all went to meet him. In the front 
 rode Prince Rafarata, then followed one of' 
 L 2
 
 112 
 
 the generals, and Prince Ratafi; after them 
 came the King, on a white charger, richly 
 caparisoned; underneath was a white net- 
 ted cloth, and over this, a crimson one with 
 a deep fringe ; the saddle was also covered 
 with crimson velvet; the King's dress was 
 extremely rich. He was followed by seve- 
 ral of his officers on horseback ; a great 
 number of females from the Seclave dis- 
 trict, who had been taken prisoners, fol- 
 lowed, singing with all their might, and 
 clapping their hands ; their song was com- 
 posed of few words, expressive of a desire 
 that the King might be successful in the 
 war for which he was to set out the next 
 morning. The rear was brought up by a 
 party blowing on large shells, the noise of 
 which was extremely discordant. If we had 
 not looked on all this pomp as a prepara- 
 tion for war, we should have felt differently, 
 and should have been more interested. 
 
 The King, on his return to the Court 
 Yard, in company with one of his wives, 
 partook of some rice, and part of the heifer 
 which had been killed that morning, and 
 had been boiled with prepared honey. He
 
 113 
 
 then went to the house of his mother, and 
 made a similar repast ; after which he took 
 leave of her, intending to depart ou the 
 morrow. 
 
 **{- If '* '' - ' I .. - ',:,, f'JL f.f ., f/K !. " " 
 
 June 21. This morniug, precisely at six 
 o'clock, a gun was fired as a signal for the 
 army to march ; and, in a short time, we 
 beheld them descending the hill, with the 
 King at their head, to commence a long 
 and toilsome march, with the prospect of 
 having to face a powerful enemy, against 
 whom they had once made an unsuccessful 
 attempt. It was very painful to see so ma- 
 ny of our fellow creatures, thus apparent- 
 ly rushing to death and destruction, with- 
 out any idea of the value of their souls, or 
 of their accountability at the bar. of God. 
 Thou Lord of the harvest, send forth able, 
 faithful, and affectionate labourers, to ga- 
 ther here a multitude of precious souls, for 
 the glory of thy great and honoured name. 
 When I think of the moral and spiritual 
 condition of the inhabitants of this Island, 
 my bowels yearn over them. Well do I re- 
 collect, how often the big tear of delight 
 rolled- down the face of my beloved 
 L 3
 
 114 
 
 band, when he had supposed that one of 
 our dear pupils, or an adult native was 
 coming to enquire with anxiety and ear- 
 nestness after salvation ; and if, when on 
 earth, and only in imagination, his affec- 
 tionate heart was so elated, what will his 
 joy be in heaven, if called with the angels 
 of God to exult over converted sinners I O 
 that I could now save them as brands from 
 the burning ! 
 
 " My God, I feel the mournful scene, 
 My bowels yearn o'er dying men ; 
 And fain my pity would reclaim, 
 And snatch the fire-brands from the flame. 
 
 " But feeble my compassion proves, 
 And can but weep where most it loves ; 
 Thy own all saving arm employ, 
 And turn these drops of grief to joy." 
 
 I am now about to record an event which 
 appeared to us as mysterious as it was 
 painful. I before remarked, that we all ar- 
 rived at the capital in health and comfort ; 
 but alas, our little circle was soon to be
 
 deprived of one of its most active and va- 
 luable members, Mr. Thomas Brooks, whom 
 it may be remembered, fell a sacrifice to 
 the endemic of the country, a few days after 
 our arrival at Tananarivou. He had, w r hen 
 at Tamatave, previous, to our journey up 
 the country, an attack of dysentery; from 
 this he recovered, and during the rest of 
 our route he appeared in perfect health; 
 his spirits were usually good, and he al- 
 ways walked a great deal. In this perhaps 
 he erred. I frequently said to him, " Why 
 do you walk so much 1 I fear you use too 
 much exertion in this untried climate." " J 
 find walking agree with me," he would say, 
 " I need exertion." 
 
 The evening of our arrival, Messrs. Can- 
 ham, Brooks, Chick, and Rowland, dined at 
 the house of Mr. Griffiths ; and we were af- 
 terwards informed, that Mr. B. was seized 
 with giddiness and fainting at the table, 
 and was obliged to retire. The next day, 
 however, he was better, and indeed, for se- 
 veral days disease did not make much pro- 
 gress. On friday, June 14, he accompanied 
 his brother mechanics to look at a piece of
 
 ground which the King had granted them 
 to build on. Poor young man ! little did he 
 think at that moment, that in the short time 
 of ten more days, he should be laid in the 
 tomb, in a spot not many yards distant from 
 that on which he had stood, to mark out the 
 building and garden ground; but so it was, 
 and thus our designs are often subverted by 
 Him, who gives not to any of his creatures 
 an account of his actions. 
 
 It was with much labour that, in compa- 
 ny with his brethren, he reached the palace 
 to thank the King, who had given them three 
 youths, one as a servant, and two to be in* 
 structed in their different arts, for his kind- 
 ness. Whilst standing before the King, he 
 fainted, and fell down. When recovered a 
 little, he was led home, and from that time 
 continued so indisposed as to excite alarm ; 
 he became very weak, and his fever was 
 high. 
 
 On the sabbath day I accompanied one 
 of our female friends to see him, and was 
 much distressed to mark the amazing alter- 
 ation that had taken place. Ho did not at 
 first know me. but he soon recognized my
 
 117 
 
 voice. I asked him, how he was? He re- 
 plied, " Very ill." I said, Are you happy T 
 He answered, ID a low whisper, " Quite so." 
 He did not seem to recollect my friend, 
 though she addressed him. That night my 
 beloved Partner and Mr. Griffiths, sat up 
 with him, and it proved the last which he 
 lived. About nine o'clock they found him 
 extremely restless, and too ill to speak to 
 them; but about twelve he became more 
 composed, and fell, as they thought, into a 
 gentle sleep. When his anxious attendants, 
 a little afterwards, approached his bed, 
 they were grieved to find, that the coldness 
 of death had seized on his hands and his 
 feet; at four o'clock they called up his 
 companions to join them in prayer, but the 
 dear invalid was too far gone to take any 
 interest in their devotions. He lingered on 
 the banks of the river of death till about 
 ten o'clock, and then his happy spirit left 
 its earthly tabernacle for the realms of glo- 
 ry, where disease and death are known no 
 more. There, I trust, he has now welcomed 
 the happy spirit of his minister and friend. 
 To both, the mysterious secret of divine
 
 118 
 
 Providence is laid open, and I doubt not,, 
 but that they exclaim with admiration and 
 gratitude," He hath done all things well!" 
 There, after a few more rolling years, the 
 writer of these pages hopes to join their 
 blest society. What a meeting will that be I 
 The anticipation is sometimes overpower- 
 ing, what thjen will be the delightful rea- 
 lity ! 
 
 When his friends had performed for him 
 the laM kind offices of friendship, they re- 
 turned home to make arrangements for his 
 funeral. A portion of the land given by the 
 King to the artizans for building, was con- 
 sidered suitable for a burying ground; but 
 on consulting the Judges, they objected, 
 because it was so near to the King's rice 
 ground. In consequence of which, another 
 spot was fixed on, and immediately granted 
 for the purpose; and it is now enclosed as< 
 a burial place for the Missionaries. 
 
 This melancholy and unexpected event 
 greatly surprized and affected the people. 
 O that they knew the hand which kills and- 
 makes alive! We all attended the funeral 
 the next day. Before the removal of the bo-i
 
 119 
 
 dy from the house, the Rev. D. Jones read 
 the well-known doxology, " Praise God, 
 from whom all blessings flow," &c. it was 
 sung chiefly by the children ; we were too 
 depressed in spirit to join them. The coffin 
 was placed on a bier, and carried by th 
 natives of the Island. Messrs Jones, Grif- 
 fiths, and Jeffreys, went before, having white 
 scarfs, and hatbands. Messrs. Can ham and 
 'Chick followed as mourners. Next to them 
 two German botanists, that had accompa- 
 nied us from the Mauritius. Then followed 
 the Creoles, and afterwards the children of 
 the Schools. At the grave, the Rev. D. 
 Jones read a Hymn, and Mr. Jeffreys pray- 
 ed, and delivered an affecting address from 
 Job xxxvii. 27. " Touching the Almighty, 
 we cannot find him out." It may indeed be 
 truly said, that 
 
 " Deep in unfathomable mines, 
 
 Of never failing skill, 
 
 i He treasures up his bright designs, 
 
 And works his sovereign will." 
 
 '"We commenced our school on the tweo-
 
 120 
 
 ty-fifth of June, with nine boys, and three 
 girls. We soon found that the children pos- 
 sessed no mean capacities. Our instruc- 
 tions were received with gratitude and ea- 
 gerness ; and their progress in learning 
 was soon discoverable to a degree that as- 
 tonished as well as delighted us. Two boys, 
 in the short space of five mouths, proceeded 
 as far in arithmetic, as the Rule of Three 
 Direct; and others were not far behind 
 them. The native children are as generally 
 capable of receiving instruction as any in 
 our own country ; and, from all the obser- 
 vations I have made, much more attentive 
 and concerned to attain it. It is very sel- 
 dom that they discover any of that ennui, 
 and want of interest in their lessons, which 
 is so common in our English schools ; their 
 application is unwearied, till they attain 
 their tasks, and that with great correct- 
 ness. Often at a very early hour, have we 
 been disturbed by their repeating aloud the 
 multiplication table, or some other lesson 
 for the day, near to our dwelling. When it 
 is recollected, that instruction was commu- 
 nicated to them in a foreign language, their
 
 121 
 
 perseverance will appear very surprizing 
 and admirable. 
 
 After a few months, the method of teach- 
 ing in the English language was considered 
 generally impracticable, and therefore a- 
 bandoned ; and an alphabet of the Mala- 
 gasy was formed : it consisted of twenty - 
 two of our letters, viz. a, b, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, 
 k, 1, m, n, o, p, r, s, t, u, v, y, z. The vowels 
 take the French sound, the dipthongs are 
 ao, as in saolao, play ; eo, as in babeo, to car- 
 ry ; ai, as in derain, praised ; they have on- 
 ly one double consonant, which is ts, as in 
 tsara, good. 
 
 The progress made by these interesting 
 children since the formation of their lan- 
 guage as to its orthography, has well re- 
 warded the toils and troubles attending it. 
 As every syllable contains a vowel and 
 consonant, spelling is rendered so easy, 
 that even if the tutor pronounces a word 
 incorrectly, an error is made by the pupil 
 in spelling it. The children's remarks on 
 the subjects of conversation introduced a- 
 mong them, shew that they are accustomed 
 to think. I will mention a proof of this ; 
 M
 
 122 
 
 cue day, after catechising the children, I 
 asked them, which of the commandments 
 was most difficult to observe 1 One, after a 
 long pause, mentioned one, and another, a 
 different precept; till, at last, a boy about 
 twelve years old, said, Ny farana mafty in- 
 drindra ; or, The last is the hardest. Mr. J. 
 said, " Why is it so, my boy T' He replied, 
 " For one who is poor, to see another pos- 
 sessing a great deal of money, a great deal 
 of clothes, and much cattle and rice, with- 
 out wishing for some of them, is very hard ; 
 I think no person can keep this command- 
 ment." Various observations were made on 
 this occasion, which I do not recollect. 
 
 The native children are distinguished by 
 strong and affectionate attachment to each 
 other, and to their friends. The following is 
 an instance of it; three of the younger 
 boys came to me, the first time Mr. J. went 
 from home, and said, " We will sleep in 
 your house till he returns; no rogue shall 
 come to you, and we will do all we can to 
 keep you from being sorrowful." They did 
 as they said they would ; they came every 
 evening, and slept on the mat in the sitting
 
 123 
 
 room. We were pleased with this expres- 
 sion of gratitude aud esteem, 
 
 A still more striking instance of this at- 
 tachment was shewn by Ratsaraube to- 
 wards Mr. J. Having heard that in a neigh- 
 bouring village, there were objects of reve- 
 rence, which they call, Andriama nitra, or 
 Gods, he took several of the elder boys 
 with him, in order to examine into the mat- 
 ter. When ascending the hill leading to the 
 village, the boys all took off their hats, and 
 desired Mr. Jeffreys to do so too ; saying; 
 " This village is sacred, and the people will 
 be angry if you do not put off your hat and 
 shoes." Still he refused; observing, that he 
 did not believe in their gods, and that it 
 would be improper for him to countenance 
 superstition. The boys became very uneasy, 
 yet they proceeded; till, on entering the 
 village, some of the natives approached, 
 upon which they threw their hats down the 
 hill, and requested him to take off his hat 
 and shoes, as the house was near where the 
 Idol was kept. He still refused ; on which, 
 the people became angry, and their dogs 
 surrounded them ; when all the boys, ex- 
 M.3
 
 cept Ratsaraube, made their escape. He 
 stood firmly by his Friend and Teacher; 
 and though alarmed, declared to the exas- 
 perated people, that Mr. Jeffreys was a ve- 
 ry good man, that he was the friend of the 
 King, and loved by him, and that, if they 
 insulted him the King would be angry. 
 This so appeased them, that they were al- 
 lowed to leave the village without farther 
 trouble. 
 
 In this poor untaught heathen youth, we 
 have an instance of faithful attachment, and 
 such as is rarely to be met with. He was 
 willing to face danger with his friend; and 
 he told me when he returned, that he deter- 
 mined never to leave Mr. Jeffreys in dan- 
 ger. Of course, this circumstance endeared 
 the lad to us ever afterwards; and when 
 leaving the country for the Mauritius, he 
 hung about us, and wept, saying, " I shall 
 see you no more ! You will die before you 
 reach the coast ; I shall see you no more." 
 It was not, on that occasion, without diffi- 
 culty, that he was induced to leave our ha- 
 bitation. 
 
 Dec. 4. News has just reached us, that
 
 125 
 
 the war in which the King had engaged is 
 happily terminated; the treaty is ratified, 
 in consequence of Radama consenting to 
 take the daughter of Ramatra, his adver- 
 sary, in marriage. 
 
 Jan. 23, 1823. The King is returned, and 
 we have been to the Kabar ; this is a place 
 in which the people assemble, and is form- 
 ed by nature in such a shape, as to make a 
 large amphitheatre, covering an extent of 
 about six acres. The number present on 
 this occasion, including the soldiers, was 
 not less than fifty thousand. The scene was 
 overwhelming, and the order and silence 
 were such during the whole of the Kabara, 
 that the least discordant noise might have 
 been heard; the approach of the King was 
 announced by the firing of cannon and mus- 
 quetry; he sat in a gig, accompanied by 
 his new wife; his dress was rich and splen- 
 did. When the carriage reached the plat- 
 form erected on the occasion, they alighted', 
 and on ascending it, the King was saluted 
 by his people. The Chiefs of the surround- 
 ing villages then went forward to give hira 
 the Manase, a kind of tribute which is pre- 
 
 M 3
 
 126 
 
 sented on such occasions. When this was 
 done, a principal chief rose, and addressed 
 the King in the name of the people ; con- 
 gratulating him on his victory and success, 
 and expressing their joy at 'his return in 
 health and safety. He was followed by an 
 officer of distinction, who in the name of 
 the soldiers, thanked the King for his pro- 
 tection, and for the courage which his he- 
 roism and valour had excited them to exhi- 
 bit in the day of battle. His Majesty then 
 rose, and addressed the multitude ; he con- 
 gratulated his people, and informed them 
 of the great extent of territory that had 
 been added to his dominions by the late 
 victory. He expressed his warmest appro- 
 bation of the courage and conduct mani- 
 fested by the soldiers ; and concluded, by 
 assuring all present of his sincere desire 
 for their success and prosperity in every 
 undertaking. He was again most heartily 
 cheered, and the meeting broke up. 
 
 The Missionaries, and the British Agent, 
 waited on the King in the Court yard, and 
 welcomed him again to his capital. 
 
 March 1C. This afternoon we were visit-
 
 ed by a dreadful storm of hail ; it came from 
 the south, with a stroug wind ; for ten mi- 
 nutes before its commencement, a constant 
 noise, resembling thunder, was heard at a 
 distance; our minds were filled with alarm,, 
 as we had not before witnessed any thing of 
 the kind, and could not, from, the servants, 
 learn the immediate cause of the tremen- 
 dously awful roar that still continued. The 
 natives appeared full of terror, though they 
 knew it to be the precursor of hail. When 
 the storm commenced, it was dark as mid- 
 night ; but as the hail abated, the darkness 
 gradually disappeared. Some of the hail- 
 stones measured three inches and a half iji 
 circumference. Though this happened in 
 the warm season, *yet it was exceedingly 
 cold for hours after the storm. 
 
 During the summer months, which are 
 from October to June, storms of thunder, 
 accompanied by rain and hail, come on 
 most afternoons about three or four o'clock. 
 The thunder and lightning is soon over, but 
 the rain commonly continues great part of 
 the evening, refreshing the parched sides of 
 the mountains, and filling the vallies with a
 
 moisture that makes the crops grow most 
 luxuriantly. 
 
 Water spouts also commonly attend these 
 storms ; we had frequent opportunities of 
 seeing them. I well recollect having our 
 attention one day directed to two that at the 
 same time were passing over some villages 
 a little to the west. As they proceeded from 
 opposite points, they met each other, and 
 burst, occasioning a dreadful fall of water; 
 it is said, that the principal danger arises 
 from being under it when it is passing, as 
 it sometimes attracts houses, and tears them 
 to pieces ; and at other times will draw up 
 so much water, as to leave a brook which it 
 touches nearly dry.
 
 SUPERSTITIONS OF THE 
 
 GASSES. 
 
 THOUGH it cannot be correctly said, that 
 the people of this Island are gross idola- 
 ters, yet they have many superstitions to 
 which they are painfully devoted. 
 
 From the reply they were always ready 
 to make to the enquiry, Who made you, and 
 all things'! it is evident they believe in one 
 God, the Creator of all ; and him they call 
 Zanhare; which signifies, the highest God; 
 but they do not appear to have any thought 
 of worshipping him; they neither pray to 
 him, nor present any sacrifices ; these they 
 offer to other objects. Yet it is an encou- 
 raging thought to the Christian Missionary,
 
 130 
 
 that in presenting the Gospel to the people 
 of this Island, he has not to encounter the 
 difficulty of calling off their minds from a 
 book which they have erroneously adopted 
 as divine; and therefore binding on their 
 conscience as the dilatory of their con- 
 duct, and guide in religious matters, for 
 they have no record of this sort among 
 them. They give no other reason for what 
 they do than this, " We do what was al- 
 ways dene among our people." 
 
 We had frequent opportunities of know- 
 ing that they prayed to the dead, and sacri- 
 ficed to the dead; but whether they believ- 
 ed the dead could help them, or indulged 
 the idea, that because the dead were favou- 
 rites with the great God, they should fare 
 well for doing them honour, I have heard 
 Mr. J. say, he could not decide from his 
 conversations with them; they would ex- 
 press their expectations of some good, but 
 seemed unwilling or unable to say, from 
 whom it was to come. 
 
 I shall proceed to relate some of their 
 superstitious. Mr. Jeffreys, as he was one 
 day walking a few miles from home, disco-*
 
 131 
 
 vered a large stone by the road side, Co- 
 vered with blood, and fat, and bones. Upon 
 which he enquired the meaning of it, and 
 was told, that it marked a spot which the 
 natives held sacred ; they call it Vazimba, 
 because a noted prophet of that name was 
 buried there. This stone is visited particu- 
 larly by the poor, and persons that are sick 
 and in trouble ; they cherish the idea, that 
 by sacrificing?!, sheep, or fowl at this stone, 
 sprinkling it with blood, and then leaving 
 the body as an offering to the prophet, they 
 shall become more prosperous and happy. 
 They also say, that to go near it, or to 
 break any wood that grows about it, will 
 occasion sickness, and perhaps death. I re- 
 collect one of the servants being much a- 
 larmed, because I broke a sprig from a tree 
 that hung over a stone of this kind, as they 
 have them set up in memory of this prophet 
 in different parts of the country ; this domes- 
 tic exclaimed, with much vehemence, Indiai 
 marty Madama tonkouha," or, Madam will 
 surely die ; but when she saw me alive and 
 well the next day, she said, " The Mala- 
 gasses are fools."
 
 132 
 
 They pray to deceased friends, and ask 
 protection and favour from them ; and their 
 most solemn oath is to swear by the souls of 
 their ancestors, from which circumstance 
 it is plain that they believe in the exist- 
 ence of spirits.. Another proof of this, ap- 
 pears in their refusing to go near a grave 
 after it is dark. Of the reality of this feel- 
 ing existing among them, we had an evi- 
 dence in our own family. Our kitchen, as 
 is usual in hot climates, was at some dis- 
 tance from the house; and in passing to 
 it, we went near to a spot where there had 
 once been a grave. One evening, I went to 
 enquire if all had supped ; when the ser- 
 vant who sat in the next room to us, said, 
 No. On enquiring, why her supper was not 
 brought from the kitchen, the girl whose 
 place it was to have brought it, said, " I 
 am afraid to carry mutton so near to a 
 grave, lest the spirits should run out and 
 take it from me." 
 
 They are also very careful not to tread 
 on a grave, and will go out of the road ra- 
 ther than pass near one. Perhaps the read- 
 er is ready to enquire, if they have no re-
 
 gular burying place 1 They have not, but 
 inter their deceased friends wherever they 
 please; their usual mode of interment is, 
 first to wrap up the body in the best robe 
 they can procure, and then to wind around 
 it a new mat, instead of a coffin ; they then 
 place it on a bier, and four persons carry 
 it away to the grave, followed by all the 
 relatives and friends of the deceased, who 
 make a most distressing noise as they pass 
 along: their only mark of mourning con- 
 sists in having the hair, which at other pe- 
 riods is fantastically plaited, in a dishe- 
 velled state, which gives them a Very dole- 
 ful appearance. When they come to the 
 grave, the body is laid on two large stones, 
 one placed at the head, and the other at the 
 feet ; they then form an arch over the body, 
 to prevent the earth from touching it, and 
 to preserve it as long as possible. 
 
 These people entertain a singular idea 
 about the soul of the deceased ; they ima- 
 gine it continues for a time hovering about 
 the grave, or its recent dwelling, in a state 
 of restlessness ; and in order to pacify it, 
 they go through a singular ceremony at the 
 
 N
 
 134 
 
 grave, which they call " Manou afany ;" 
 the order of which is as follows, they sa- 
 crifice at the tomb one or more "bullocks, 
 according to their ability ; they then drive 
 a pole into the ground, and hang upon it 
 the horns of the animals slain, supposing 
 that the greater number of horns they can 
 fix up, the happier the departed will be. 
 
 It is also customary at burials to have 
 feasts, to which all the relatives and friends 
 are invited; and these also are regulated in 
 their extent and expensiveness, by the cir- 
 cumstances of the deceased. It may also be 
 proper to observe, that all who attend these 
 feasts are considered unclean for several 
 days after, so that they will not enter a ha- 
 bitation of any respectability, till they have 
 bathed in pure water. 
 
 As to the state of the soul after edath, 
 they appear quite unsettled in their belief; 
 some have ideas of its immortality, but not 
 of any punishment after death. A poor man 
 worn down by age, came one sabbath even- 
 ing to our house, and entered into conver- 
 sation about the services ; he said, that he 
 was delighted with the singing, but there
 
 135 
 
 was something about the soul being happy 
 or miserable after death, which he wanted to 
 understand. " Well, my friend," said Mr. J. 
 " I will explain ; but I must first ask you 
 your opinion of the soul." He replied, " I 
 scarcely know what to think ; for some say 
 one thing, and some another ; some tell me, 
 that all our souls go into a large mountain 
 near this place, where they remain many 
 years, and then are to be set free ; whilst 
 others think, they go into the wind, and are 
 always moving about ; and that, when the 
 wind is high the souls are quarrelling." 
 " But do you believe," said Mr. Jeffreys, 
 " that the soul never dies'?" " Tsi mety a 
 maty ny fanaky," said he ; or, The soul can- 
 not die. Mr. Jeffreys seized this confession, 
 and immediately entered into a close and 
 personal application of it; telling him, that 
 the soul was immortal ; that it was very 
 different from the wind ; and that, on the 
 death of the body, the soul would go either 
 to heaven, the residence of the great and 
 good God, and of all good people, who are 
 saved and pardoned through Jesus Christ ; 
 or to hell, the place of everlasting punish-
 
 136 
 
 meut, aiid the abode of wicked spirits. The 
 poor man attended with great apparent in- 
 terest and surprize : much more was said 
 upon the state of all by nature, and the onr 
 ly way of salvation. After which he shook 
 hands with Mr. J. thanked him, and depart- 
 ed saying, " I shall come and see you a- 
 gain." We intreated him to do so as soon 
 as he could. 
 
 After we had dined, we took our seats 
 under the verandah, and were not a little 
 surprized, to hear the voice of the old man 
 conversing with some of the natives. We 
 listened attentively; he repeated much of 
 what had been said to him. " The white 
 man," said he, " told me, that my soul will 
 never die ; and that when my body is laid 
 in the grave, my soul will be in a place of 
 happiness, or in a great fire, where it will 
 burn, and never be destroyed ; this fright- 
 ened me so much, that I do not like to leave 
 this place. I shall stay near the white man's 
 house." The woman said, " Go home; the 
 white man tells lies, do not attend to him." 
 When she and her companions had left him, 
 my dear Partner, anxious to deepen the im.n
 
 137 
 
 pression that appeared to have been re- 
 ceived, went to him, and conversed a consi- 
 derable time. 
 
 He frequently after called on us, but ne- 
 ver without introducing this subject ; and 
 with great pleasure we heard, that he had 
 repeated the conversation to many in the 
 village; dwelling particularly on the im- 
 mortality of the soul, and its state after 
 death. This afforded us some hope, that the 
 impression made was abiding in its influ- 
 ence, and might be saving in its results ; 
 and though we may be denied the gratifica- 
 tion of knowing it, yet our prayer is, that 
 it may be so. 
 
 Though the immortality of the soul is ve- 
 ry generally believed, yet there are some 
 who do not acknowledge it, or that man is 
 an accountable being ; as the following a- 
 necdote will show. A native of rather high 
 rank, one day in conversation with an Eu- 
 ropean, said, referring to the death of one 
 of his horses, " There is an end of him ; 
 and when 1 die, my condition will he just 
 like his." To this it was replied," The Mis*- 
 siouaries teach a differeut doctrine; they 
 N 3
 
 138 
 
 say, that after the body dies, the soul k lives ; 
 and that man is accountable to God for the 
 actions done in the body." It was answer- 
 ed by the native, " The Missionaries know 
 nothing about it." What pious mind cat* 
 help offering the earnest prayer for this be- 
 nighted people ! 
 
 " O, when shall Afric's sable sons, 
 
 Enjoy the heavenly word ; 
 And vassals long enslav'd, become 
 
 The freedmen of the Lord ! 
 
 "When shall th' untutor'd heathen tribes, 
 
 A dark bewilder'd race ; 
 Sit down at our ImmanuePs feet, 
 
 And learn, and sing his grace ?" 
 
 There are some creatures that the natives 
 of this Island view with a superstitious 
 dread. One is, the Karara cat ; and another, 
 the Vourana doulouna ; a bird very much 
 resembling our owl; the former animal, 
 when we first went among them, they would 
 on no account touch, and exceedingly dis- 
 liked entering a room where it was. We
 
 139 
 
 had the pleasure to see this prejudice con- 
 siderably lessened against a creature whose 
 services are so valuable, and so much need- 
 ed in this Island. Bui their dread of the 
 Vourana doulouna remained unabated ; if 
 this poor bird chance to fly. over their heads 
 and they perceive it, they immediately anti- 
 cipate some dreadful calamity ; and if this 
 circumstance should happen after sun-set, 
 their terror is very great. 
 
 The natives of this- Island, are very par* 
 ticular about the direction in which their 
 bodies are laid when they go to rest at 
 night ; they will not, on any account, sleep 
 with their head south or west; they are most 
 pleased to recline their heads northwards, 
 but if they cannot do this, they place them 
 towards the east. 
 
 Soon after our arrival at Ambatoumanga, 
 to which station we were appointed by the 
 King, I heard that there was an idol kept 
 in a house near ours, and I tried every effort 
 in my power to get a sight of it; at length 
 I succeeded : the house in which it was 
 kept was called Tranou Andriamanitra ; or, 
 the House of God. One evening, just after
 
 140 
 
 sun-set, the wife of the person who lived at 
 this remarkable house, was passing by with 
 her child at her back. I stopped her, and 
 after some general remarks, I said, " You 
 are highly honoured, to have the care of 
 the god at your house; you, no doubt, con- 
 sider yourselves safe from every danger." 
 kk O yes," she replied, " our house cannot 
 take fire, and the hail will not come on the 
 top of this rock, nor shall any of us be sick 
 so as to die, so long as the god is in our 
 house." " Indeed !" said I, " the god must 
 be something very wonderful. I am often 
 very unwell ; do you think, if I were to 
 have the god brought to my house, that I 
 should be better 1 I should much like to 
 see it." "Ah, Madam," she answered, " you 
 are only making sport, you do not believe 
 in our god." " Indeed," said I, " who told 
 you so T He who made you, made me also ; 
 and I believe in that God." She said again, 
 " No, you do not like our god ; and my hus- 
 band is very angry with your's, because he 
 speaks against our god every Sunday." I 
 replied, " But he should not be angry ; he 
 must come and talk to Mr. Jeffreys. Can
 
 141 
 
 you tell me who made the heavens and the 
 earth, and all living creatures?" She inti- 
 mated that it was God. I said, " What ! youc 
 god ?' She replied, " No, but the God who 
 lives above the heavens." I said, " Well, 
 and can your god perform such wonderful 
 works as these ? Can he make the sun and 
 moon to shine, or bring us rain ?" I was 
 proceeding, when she stopped me, saying, 
 " We pray to him to send us rain> and to 
 preserve us from the hail, and he does so." 
 I replied, " You are deceived ; do tell me 
 of what your god is made!" She said at 
 once, " Our god and his wife are made of 
 wood." I then said, " Can wood hear? If 
 you were to put him in the fire, could he 
 save himself from being burned ?" She an- 
 swered, " No fire can burn our god ; nor can 
 any fire destroy our house, so long as the 
 god is there." I said, " Well, this is won- 
 derful ; do pray permit me and Mr. Jeffreys 
 to come and see it." She replied, " I will 
 ask my husband, but I do not think he will 
 allow you to come; if he does, it must be 
 on a friday ; for that is our Andron fady > 
 Q* day of rest ; and then the god is put out
 
 142 
 
 of his box." What darkness must envelop 
 the mind, which can regard such a despi- 
 cable thing as a god ! 
 
 She came, to my surprize, on the friday, 
 and invited us to see these gods, which she 
 so much valued. I told her that we would 
 come; and accordingly, at noon, the time 
 appointed, we called at the house. We 
 found a man, his wife, four children, six 
 sheep, a pig, and several fowls, all huddled 
 together in this miserable habitation. How 
 ill was it distinguished by the lofty appel- 
 lation of the House of God ! 
 
 Expecting to see something extraordina- 
 ry, we looked around carefully, but could 
 not perceive the objects of our visit. We 
 said, " Where is your god 1" The old man, 
 who was reclining on a mat, and who had 
 not noticed us on entering, now arose, and 
 with a long cane, pointed to the god. On 
 beholding it, I could scarcely help exclaim- 
 ing, Poor creatures! and is this the god 
 you worship T But my dear Partner checked 
 me, saying, Let us hear first what they have 
 to say respecting it. 
 
 The god and his wife were of the same
 
 143 
 
 size; they were painted black, and resem* 
 bled our dolls, but were not half so hand- 
 some ; two small bits of silver formed the 
 eyes ; a speck of red and white marked the 
 nose and the lips; their necks and bodies 
 were covered with small bits of wood, put 
 together on a string like beads, but of dif- 
 ferent sizes and shapes. 
 
 When we had looked on in silence for 
 some time, I was about to approach, and to 
 touch the god ; but the man prevented me, 
 saying, " You must not touch it, if you do 
 it will be no longer holy." Mr. J. said to 
 him, " Well, my good friend, what do you 
 call this god I And why do you give him a 
 wife?' He replied, " Houdy Havandra; 
 and we give him a wife, because we think 
 that he would not be happy without one." 
 Mr. J. said, " Do you really suppose, that 
 those two pieces of wood can be either hap- 
 py or miserable?' This question evidently 
 displeased him, and he said angrily," They 
 are not wood, but god." Mr. J. then asked, 
 of what they were composed, and who made 
 them i He said, that he did not know. Mr. 
 J. then told him, that he denied the use of
 
 144 
 
 his eyes ; he added, " You can see that they 
 are ouly wood ; be not angry with me ; I 
 only wish to see you wise and happy ; you 
 must know that a piece of wood has no 
 power to benefit you, or to preserve you 
 from harm. If this were god, he would not 
 stand in need of your assistance to take him 
 from the box and place him there. God is 
 a spirit, filling all places at the same mo- 
 ment with his presence; and he has de<- 
 clared, that there is no other God ; and he 
 is much displeased with those who worship, 
 or believe in any other God." He made no 
 reply, but was evidently chagrined. Mr. J. 
 then asked the use of the bits of wood sus- 
 pended about the body of the god and his 
 wife ; and he told him, that they were me- 
 dicine against the gun, the hail, and the 
 fire. 
 
 "We found that persons going to the war, 
 used to come, and purchase a bit of this 
 wood ; they hung it about their neck, and 
 imagined that whilst wearing it they could 
 not be shot ; and that even a ball from the 
 mouth of a cannon would be immediately 
 repelled by virtue of this bit of wood ! In-
 
 deed, " darkness hath covered the earth, 
 and gross darkness the people." 
 
 On the morning that the soldiers of our 
 village were summoned to join the King, I 
 observed one of the captains resort to this 
 house, to purchase a piece of the sacred 
 wood ; as soon as he entered, the door was 
 closely shut; but one of our servants, who 
 knew what was about to take place, lis^ 
 teued at the door, and afterwards told me, 
 that the captain had been praying to the 
 god to defend him and his men from every 
 danger during the war; and that he had 
 purchased a piece of the wood which the 
 god wears about his body, to prevent the 
 cannon balls from wounding him or his 
 men in the field of battle. I said to her, 
 " Do you really believe that a piece of that 
 wood can secure them from death should a 
 ball reach them!" She replied,"! don't 
 know; all the people say so." I said, " I 
 am sure you know better, though you are 
 afraid to acknowledge it ; you know, that 
 the God whom we adore can alone preserve 
 you from danger. "Why dp you, and all your 
 people confess, that the God who dwells
 
 146 
 
 a'bove the heavens formed you, and every 
 living creature, and this world in which 
 you dwell, and yet refuse to ascribe to him 
 your preservation from danger, success in 
 war, prosperity in trade, and the plenty of 
 your rice harvest"? None but the true God 
 can do all this ; and when the Bible is gi- 
 ven you in your language, and the Missi- 
 onaries have laboured longer among you, I 
 hope you will all know and believe it. God 
 will, I trust, send his Spirit to open your 
 eyes that you may understand his word; 
 and then you will no longer believe in Hou- 
 dy Havandra." Lord, do thau hasten this 
 happy period ; 
 
 ' Lord, let the idols fall around, 
 And be the Saviour's name ador'd ; 
 His -gospel through the world resound ; 
 And all the nations call him Lord." 
 
 Another part of the wood worn around 
 the neck of the Idol, is called Houdy Ha- 
 vandra, which literally means, Medicine a- 
 gainst the hail ; the natives believe that 
 this preserves the rice from being injured
 
 147 
 
 by the hail ; and the way in which they 
 employ it is as follows ; when any Panou- 
 souranaj or priest, perceives a storm ap- 
 proaching, he fastens a piece of this wood 
 to a long pole, and going out of the house, 
 watches the progress of the impending tem- 
 pest, and apparently with much displea- 
 sure, shakes the pole at the portentous hea- 
 yens* as though he thought his feeble me- 
 nace would prevent the clouds coming in? 
 the direction in which he stands. Although 
 the vanity of these efforts is often striking- 
 ly seen, by the descent of the desolating 
 storm on the very spot they wished to de- 
 fend, yet they are not disposed to give up 
 this superstitious practice ; and this is not 
 surprizing, when we consider the strong 
 hold which the priests have on the minds of 
 the people ; and especially, that this is a 
 source of emolument which they are anxi- 
 ous to preserve. 
 
 The Priest always claims a sacrifice from 
 the owners of the rice ground, or the inha- 
 bitants of a village that is threatened by 
 the storm and escapes. He very commonly 
 requires, that a black sheep should be sa- 
 o 3
 
 148 
 
 erificed, and its blood pouyed over a parti-- 
 cular stone, and the choicest part of the 
 flesh be sent to him for his own use. O that 
 God, by the power of his word, would de- 
 stroy the influence of these men over the 
 minds of the people ! 
 
 One day during our residence near the 
 house of the Idol, one of the people in the 
 village was sitting in our dwelling, when 
 suddenly the wind arose, the heavens ga- 
 thered blackness, and the noise of distant 
 hail was heard. Recollecting the dreadful 
 siorm we had witnessed, I said to Mr. J. 
 Do you not think, we had better go below, 
 as the roof of the house is so bad 1 He ap- 
 plied to the native for his advice, and ask- 
 ed, If he thought the storm would be hea- 
 vy'! He replied," Do not be afraid; the 
 hail cannot come upon this rock, because 
 of the god ; if it hails in the valley, it will 
 not come near you." We said, We cannot 
 believe this ; therefore, we shall go to the 
 lower rooms; you can remain if you like. 
 We left him, and very shortly the storm ap- 
 proached, and this poor fellow was glad to., 
 follow us. Mr. JeffYeys, at first, took no no-
 
 149 
 
 tice of his conduct ; but when the storm in- 
 creased, and the hail pelted heavily, he said 
 to him, " Well, my friend, what do you 
 think of this 7 Is not this hail that comes 
 down 1 Did you not assure me, that the 
 hail never came upon this rock? Is your 
 god gone away 1" He answered, " It is in- 
 deed hail; I suppose the god is angry." He 
 was asked, what he imagined had offended 
 him 1 He replied, " Because you are come 
 to live here, and say evil things of him ;- 
 that is the cause." He then left us, appa* 
 rently much irritated. 
 
 " Say to the heathen from thy throne, 
 I am Jehovah, God alone ; 
 Thy voice their idols shall confound, 
 And cast their altars to the ground." 
 
 There is a third name given to this sacred 
 wood ; it is, Houdy Asou ; or, Medicine a- 
 gainst the fire. It is customary with these 
 people to suspend a bit of this wood iu 
 their houses, as a security from the de- 
 vouring element of fire. We frequently en- 
 deavoured to reason with them on the ab* 
 o 3
 
 150 
 
 surdity of this notion, but could never per- 
 suade them to give it up, so deeply rooted 
 are their prejudices. 
 
 Whilst speaking on this subject, I am 
 reminded of a curious circumstance rela- 
 tive to another kind of wood, which they 
 say must not be used in building ; if it be , 
 they think the house is sure to be blown 
 down. I well recollect, that whilst our ha- 
 bitation was erecting, there happened to be 
 amongst the wood intended for the roof, a 
 rafter of this description. The carpenters 
 were averse to use it; assuring Mr. Jeffreys 
 that the building would be destroyed by 
 tempests, if they did; it was insisted on that 
 they should use it : and the frame work for 
 the roof was finished, Oct. 31. 
 
 On the following day, a most tremendous 
 storm of rain and wind came on. The day 
 if as unusually hot and oppressive ; so much 
 so that my dear Partner declined to preach 
 at any of the neighbouring villages. About 
 five o'clock in the evening^ the heavens be- 
 came very black, and the clouds assumed a 
 most singular appearance. We did not how- 
 ever feel particularly alarmed, as at this
 
 151 
 
 season severe storms are common. Shortly, 
 vivid flashes of lightning : came on, accom- 
 panied by awful peals of thunder ; the rain 
 fell in torrents, and the wind blew a hurri- 
 cane. The house we then occupied was so. 
 much out of repair, that we had scarcely a 
 place in which to remain for a few minutes 
 whither therain did not penetrate; the tem- 
 pest shook our dwelling; and just at this 
 time, we heard a most dreadful crash, and 
 feared that some houses were blown down ; 
 and so it proved. 
 
 When the storm was sufficiently, abated, 
 Mr. J. went to make enquiry respecting it; 
 and was grieved to find, that the roof of the 
 house we were building, and which was but 
 just completed, was totally destroyed ; two 
 other small houses had also been blown 
 down ; and looking round the town, he per- 
 ceived: that the King's house, and five be- 
 sides, were also demolished* The cause of 
 all this devastation, the natives said, was a 
 water-spout ; or, as they call it, Rambou- 
 By-d-anitra. This singular phenomenon pro- 
 ceeded from the north. Our house stood on 
 a rock north of the town j at the foot of it
 
 152 
 
 i a fiue piece of water ; the water-spout 
 crossed the pool, and drew away with it the 
 greater part of the water. Its direction hi- 
 therto had been from north to south ; hut it' 
 now divided at the base of the rock, one 
 half turning to the east, and the other to the 
 west, so that we were mercifully preserved; 
 for hadit passed 'over us, in all probability 
 the greater- part, if not the whole of our ha- 
 bitation would have been destroyed ; and 
 our dear family exposed to the wind and" 
 rain. Hence in the midst of judgment we- 
 were called to siog of mercy. 
 
 The storm had not long subsided, before 
 many of the natives came up to see us, a- 
 mong whom was one of our carpenters. He 
 immediately said, " I told you, Sir, that 
 your house would be blown down, if you 
 had that bad wood in it." Mr. Jeffreys re- 
 minded him, that there were several other 
 houses destroyed which had' no bad wood 
 in them; that the King's house was demo- 
 lished as well as his, and that therefore his 
 reasoning was not good. He told him, that 
 he was sorry that the work was retarded, as 
 he wanted to get into his new abode ; he re-
 
 155 
 
 their Skidy, or Oracle, had informed them, 
 that they would have much thunder, hail, 
 and storm ; and that their houses would be 
 burnt. 
 
 The following -sabbath we were much 
 grieved to see our services deserted by the 
 adults of our congregation. Some came to 
 the doors and windows, but they would not 
 enter ; they appeared afraid ; from which 
 we suspected, that something unpleasant 
 had been said at tne Kabara. 
 
 On the thursday following, three of the 
 men employed in levelling the ground for 
 our garden, expressed a wish to work the 
 next day. Mr. J. replied, " 1 leave it to you, 
 if you think proper -do so ; I compel my own 
 servants to work on that day, but as you 
 are only hired by the day, you may do as 
 you please." The following morning they 
 came to their work, and remained all the 
 day. 
 
 The morning after, four of the principal 
 people of the town came to us with a Ka- 
 bara. It first 'Commenced with a salutation; 
 noticing with high respect the King, his 
 wives, his mother, and all his houshold ;
 
 then Mr. Jeffreys, aud his wife and family } 
 they then declared that Zouma, or friday, 
 was their 'sacred day ; that they never did 
 any thing with the fangady, or spade, on 
 that day ; that they had observed our ser- 
 vants working with it on that day ; and al- 
 so, that Mr. J. had employed the natives on 
 that day ; for which they were come to ad- 
 monish him; they observed, that the wea- 
 ther had been very stormy; and that the 
 wind was still strong, and the Oracle had 
 said that the rice would be all spoiled, and 
 their houses burned dowp, if the fangady 
 were used on a friday. 
 
 Mr. Jeffreys adopted the same form of sa- 
 lutation in reference to the King and his 
 family, the persons present, and all the peo- 
 ple of the town ; wishing them health and 
 long life. He then observed, that when he 
 first came into their country, he resided at 
 Tananarivou ; that during that time he re- 
 ceived no orders from the King, Nobles, or 
 Judges, relative to the observance of au> 
 sacred day ; that he, and his friends at Ta- 
 nanarivou, always regarded Sunday as the 
 day of rest, and that their servants kept the
 
 157 
 
 same day. He also told them, that when he 
 came according to the King's wish, to re>- 
 side at Ambatoumanga, he gave him no or- 
 ders whatever with respect to friday ; this 
 beiog the case, and as his servants rested 
 on Sunday, he did not think he erred in ol> 
 Hgiug them to work on friday; nor could 
 he spare them to be idle two days in the 
 week. He farther observed, that when God 
 created the heavens and the earth, and all 
 things therein, that he did it in six days, 
 and that he rested on the seventh day, and 
 hallowed it; and that he had commanded 
 all to do the same ; that the reason why he 
 and all Christians kept the first day of the 
 week, instead of the seventh, was because 
 Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came 
 down from heaven, and who died on the 
 cross to save sinners, and rose again from 
 the dead on that day ; on which account 
 his friends rejoiced, and all who loved him 
 ceased from work on that day. He then en- 
 deavoured to reason with them on the ab- 
 surdity of supposing, that working with the 
 spade on friday could have any influence 
 on the fire or the wind. He told them, that
 
 158 
 
 the God who made the fire and the wind, 
 was the Master of them, and that certainly 
 if we offended him, he could cause them to 
 be our destruction ; but that as he had ne- 
 ver forbidden us to work on friday, he could 
 not be offended with our doing so. 
 
 All this was of no avail, so deeply rooted 
 were their prejudices, that they w ere quite 
 dissatisfied, and waited for something more. 
 Mr. Jeffreys accordingly observed, as you 
 do not seem satisfied with what I have ad- 
 vanced, you can, if you please, go to the 
 King and the Judges, at Tananarivou, and 
 if they say, that I am to observe friday as 
 my fadiny, or day of rest, so it must be ; 
 but in that case I shall leave this place, 
 and seek for some other village where I 
 can do as I please. They appeared sur- 
 prized at this, and said to each other, what 
 must we do if he leave us ? We are afraid 
 the King will be angry with us, and say, 
 that we have driven away the white man, 
 and that now we must remain adala, or 
 fools. 
 
 However, they went to Tananarivou, and 
 consulted the Judges ; and from thence, ac-
 
 159 
 
 companied by one of them, proceeded to 
 the Palace yard ; and, having presented the 
 usual offering to the King, they made their 
 speech. "When they had concluded their 
 address, the King, smiling, returned their 
 offering, and said, " Go home ; let the white 
 man alone ; he is free to observe what day 
 he pleases; I make no laws for him." 
 
 With this conduct of the King we were 
 highly gratified ; and thankful to that God 
 in whose hands are the hearts of kings. But 
 though such was the result of their appeal 
 to the King, so great is the ascendancy that 
 the Priests have over the minds of the peo- 
 ple, that it was declared, that the three men 
 who had wrought in our ground on their fa- 
 diny,or day of rest, should be put to death. 
 This troubled us on behalf of the poor men 
 for sometime ; yet, as we knew that humau 
 sacrifices were not allowed, we hoped they 
 would not dare to execute their threatniug. 
 We afterwards learned, that these men had 
 been publicly praying to the god for par- 
 don, and had promised, that if ever they did 
 any labour again on a friday, they would 
 submit to be sacrificed ; and there this af- 
 r 3
 
 160 
 
 fair ended. How cruel are the rites of ido- 
 latry ! How unlike the laws of the God of 
 love ! " Have respect, O Lord, to thy co- 
 veiiaut, for the dark places of the earth are 
 full of the habitations of cruelty." 
 
 As I have mentioned the Skidy, I will ex- 
 plain the nature and design of it. It is a 
 kind of augury resorted to in cases of diffi- 
 culty, to ascertain what means it is best to 
 adopt for deliverance. For instance, if a 
 member of a family is dangerously ill, they 
 immediately, monou Skidy, consult the 
 Oracle in order to know what to do. A pa- 
 rent once requested Mr. Jeffreys to visit his 
 child, about eleven years of age. He found 
 her apparently near death, and said, that 
 he feared the child would die. However, 
 they tried the Skidy, or Oracle, and said, 
 that they were instructed to convey her to a 
 distant village, and promised that then she 
 should get well. The journey was immedi- 
 ately commenced, but the poor child died 
 on the way, and the father told us the con- 
 ductors could not inform him at what part 
 of the journey the child died. 
 
 Another resource to which they fly in dif*
 
 161 
 
 ficulties, is consulting the Ombiasses, or 
 diviners. These are called by some of the 
 natives, their wise men; but they are not 
 in such request or estimation about the ca- 
 pital as in other parts ; they are crafty men 
 who pretend to great skill in the art of di- 
 vination. If consulted by persons going ta 
 the war, they generally give an assurance 
 that it will be successful, and receive a fee 
 from the applicant. To others they sell a 
 kind of written billets as preservatives 
 from the varied evils to which all are ex- 
 posed ; to others, applying on behalf of the 
 afflicted, they first command to make sacri- 
 fices ; and if after this the person recovers, 
 the impostor requires a very liberal re- 
 ward, on the ground that it is owing to his 
 great skill. How desirable, that this poor 
 people should be taught to read the Scrip- 
 tures, that they may become acquainted 
 with the salvation which is in Christ Jesus.
 
 DRESS, MANNERS, AND CUSTOMS 
 OF THE MALAGASSY. 
 
 THE Malagassy are rather above the com- 
 mon stature; they have generally fine open 
 countenances, the natural indication of a 
 tolerable share of intellectual capacity. 
 The men are robust as well as tall, and the 
 women are, generally speaking, handsome ; 
 their colour varies owing to the intermix- 
 ture of the different tribes by marriage ; 
 some are dingy white, and others are quite 
 dark. The common dress of the men is a 
 loose robe which covers the whole body as 
 low as the knee, called a Lamba. The dress 
 of the females is similar, only they throw 
 the robe over the left shoulder, whereas the
 
 163 
 
 raen wear it over the right. Till lately,, 
 uone of them wore any covering on the 
 head ; now the higher classes of the people,, 
 and the soldiery, wear hats. It is also usual 
 for persons of distinction to wear a large 
 silver bracelet, and also silver chains about 
 the ancles. The King, and many of his offi- 
 cers, dress after the style of the English. 
 
 Their manners are rather free and easy 
 than otherwise ; and in general they disco- 
 ver great frankness of disposition. Their 
 houses have commonly but one room, in, 
 which the whole family^ and not unfre- 
 quently, all the stock of poultry and sheep 
 assemble. Those, however, who have abili- 
 ty, have separate dwellings for their ser- 
 vants or slaves, who are persons which 
 have been taken captive in war, and are 
 considered the property of their masters ; 
 but slavery, in the disgusting and painful 
 forms in which it appears in the Mauritius, 
 and in the West Indies, is not known in, 
 Madagascar. These domestics are only em- 
 ployed a few hours in the morning on the 
 rice grounds ; and the rest of the day, ex- 
 cept what is necessary to be spent in pre-
 
 164 
 
 paring their simple food, is consumed by 
 lying in the sun, or sleeping on their mats. 
 The}' have only two meals a day ; one about 
 noon, the other just after sun-set. Their 
 chief food is rice, beef, and sometimes a 
 herb called Hanamamy, all stewed toge- 
 ther. Masters and servants generally take 
 the same kind of food, but they are greatly 
 concerned to keep the vessels used in cook- 
 ing separate; a servant must not dare to- 
 boil his rice in the same Vilana, or to eat 
 with the same Soutira as his master, or any 
 part of the family. 
 
 Their mode of travelling is singular, and 
 that of the females not very delicate. If per- 
 sons of distinction, they are carried on the 
 backs of men-bearers, under their robes, 
 just as boys in this country when at play, 
 are borne on each other. In this way, they 
 are sometimes conveyed ten or twenty miles 
 in the day. Some even prefer this method to 
 the palanquin. 
 
 Beds or mattrasses are not used ; there is 
 generally a raised place in the dwelling, on 
 which the master and his wife sleep, wrap- 
 ped up in their mats; but it is more com-
 
 165 
 
 mon for them to take their repose lying on- 
 the ground. 
 
 . Auiraal food is very cheap, but their me- 
 thod of cutting it up is very disgusting ; 
 they do this with the skin on. A cow may 
 be purchased for two dollars and a half; 
 a sheep for one and a half; and a good pig 
 for one. Poultry is also cheap and good; a 
 duck may be had for nVepeuce; and other 
 fowls alike cheap. Fruits, such as pine ap- 
 ples, grapes, and lemons, are very abun- 
 dant. From this statement it might be in- 
 ferred, that very little is necessary to sup- 
 port a missionary and his family in Mada- 
 gascar; little would do, if they could en- 
 tirely subsist on the produce of the Island ; 
 but it is quite needful for Europeans to 
 have other things which come from the Cape, 
 or the Mauritius; and these when required, 
 a,re very expensive, especially in, the inte- 
 rior of the Island. 
 
 The customs practised in this Island are 
 not unlike those of all heathen countries. 
 Among these which deserve mention, and 
 which are adapted to give some idea of the 
 moral condition of the people, I would
 
 166 
 
 name Polygamy, as it is openly defended". 
 The first wife a man takes, is generally 
 considered to have a claim to a pre-emi- 
 nence of respect. But the manner in which 
 they solemnize marriage, declares the ex- 
 istence of a melancholy want of proper i~ 
 deas respecting it. When a person thinks 
 proper to add to the number of his wives, 
 the circumstance is only commemorated by 
 feasting, and conversation of the most in- 
 decent description ; and this will not be 
 much wondered a$, when it is recollected, 1 
 that very often the new wife introduced is 
 one that the man never sees before she is 
 brought to his house: this is enough ta 
 show the deplorable state of the female part 
 of society in Madagascar. Surely, it claims* 
 the compassion of British Christians, and it 
 particularly demands, and I hope not in 
 vain, the prayers, exertions, and sympathy, 
 of British females. 
 
 The writer of these pages feels, that the 
 welfare of the females of this Island, is an 
 object of great magnitude ; and she hopes, 
 ere long to see mighty efforts made in refe- 
 rence to it. She deeply regrets that mourn-
 
 167 
 
 ful stroke, which has so suddenly put a ter- 
 mination to her labours among a people, 
 for whose best welfare she would have e- 
 steemed it an honour to have expended her 
 life and talents, if God had so permitted. 
 Her heart is still with them, and will not 
 lose its anxious concern for them, so Ions: 
 
 " O 
 
 as it can take any interest in human affairs'. 
 She thinks of some to whom she often men- 
 tioned the worthy name of Christ ; and she 
 "hopes that they will know its saving effi- 
 cacy. She cannot give up the hope of meet- 
 ing some of them in the regions of ever- 
 lasting bliss. 
 
 When a native of any distinction dies in 
 the Avar, they carefully preserve his bones, 
 acd his relations are obliged by law to see 
 them buried in his native village. We saw 
 several instances of this ; one was, the fa- 
 ther of a child at our school, a captain, and 
 a friend of the King. His remains were 
 carried on a bier, wrapped up in his robe, 
 and covered with a scarlet cloth ; upon this 
 was placed his hat, sword, and other parts 
 of his dress. His horse preceded the bier ; 
 the King followed,- then came persons of
 
 168 
 
 distinction in the army ; and last of all, his 
 relatives, carrying his property to be in- 
 terred with its late owner. This is a com- 
 mon practice ; and hence it is that they are 
 at immense trouble to make the graves se- 
 cure, lest they should be plundered of their 
 riches. 
 
 But although these people pay so much 
 attention to the dead, they are often very 
 negligent and unfeeling towards the living. 
 A poor man, who was afflicted with the fe- 
 ver, was ordered by the Onibrasse, or wise 
 men, to be carried home, and men were ap- 
 pointed to carry him thither; but being 
 weary with their load, they were about to 
 kill him ; when a person of authority came 
 up, and desired them, on pain of death, not 
 to do it ; but to pursue their way, and to be 
 kind towards the diseased; they did so; 
 and the poor invalid was living when we 
 left the Island. O that the gospel might 
 soon effectually change the natives of this 
 Island, and mould them into the image of 
 the Saviour '. 
 
 " Haste, Sovereign IVlercy, and transform 
 Their cruelty to love ;
 
 169 
 
 Soften the tvger to a lamb, 
 The vulture to a dove." 
 
 Another custom among them is, the or- 
 'deal by poison. "When a member of a fami- 
 ly is dangerously ill, they will often admi- 
 nister the fangiuy, or ordeal, to all the ser- 
 vants in the house, and to all who have in 
 any way assisted the sick person, in order 
 to determine which of them has mamsavy, 
 or bewitched him, and occasioned the sick- 
 ness. If the person dies, they say he was 
 guilty ; and if he lives, he is considered to 
 have been innocent. 
 
 A painful instance of this cruel custom 
 came under my own notice, soon after our 
 arrival at Tananarivou. I was requested by 
 the King to visit a poor woman that was 
 said to be in labour. I found her in a very 
 miserable dwelling, supported by one or 
 two neighbours, and sitting up before a 
 large fire. 1 desired that she might be laid 
 on her mat ; when I found she was covered 
 with cold and abundant perspirations. I 
 learned that the child was born the preced- 
 ing evening ; but for want of proper atten-
 
 170 
 
 tion, the babe was lost, and the mother left 
 thus to sink into the arms of death. I dis- 
 patched a messenger to the King immedi- 
 ately for a little wine ; but before his re- 
 turn, her spirit had gone into the invisible 
 world. I attempted to speak to the bye- 
 standers, but could gain no attention : they 
 began their usual cry of grief; and this 
 drove me to the bosom of my own dear fa- 
 mily, to seek relief from the feelings that 
 agitated my mind at the moment. In the af- 
 ternoon, however, as I sat at a window that 
 commanded the river, I saw a number of 
 persons dragging a dead body down the 
 rock ; and was told by our servant, that it 
 was the body of the girl whom they com- 
 pelled to drink the Tanginy, and they were 
 going to cast it into the river. Her inform- 
 ation made me tremble with horror. I re- 
 collected, how I had seen her, a few hours 
 before, in perfect health, aiding the poor 
 sick and dying woman ; she was then with- 
 in the reach of prayer and religious in* 
 struction, but was now removed into the 
 land of darkness, and her state for ever 
 fixed. I was the more troubled, because it
 
 had been in my mind to request the King to 
 prevent the use of the ordeal, but now the 
 opportunity was lost, and with it the hope 
 of rendering the poor deluded female any 
 benefit. 
 
 Let me claim the readers attention to 
 this instance of cruel delusion, and to think 
 of the numbers that annually fall victims 
 to the practice. I have not heard of a cal- 
 culation as to the amount, but I am sure it 
 must be very great. I would again solicit 
 aid iu behalf of the instruction of the fe 
 male population of Madagascar ; to attempt 
 it will not be so difficult, and its success is 
 not so doubtful, as iu most heathen coun- 
 tries, as the females are not forbidden to 
 appear iu public, nor scrupulously kept 
 out of the way of moral instruction, but 
 are rather encouraged to seek it ; my heart 
 bids me say, " Whatsoever thy hand findeth 
 to do, do it with thy might." I am happy to 
 say, that the King has put some restric- 
 tions now upon the practice ; and, perhaps, 
 if some respectful intercessions were made, 
 he might be induced to suppress it altoge- 
 ther.
 
 172 
 
 It is worthy of remark, that the judica- 
 ture of this Island has undergone consider- 
 able improvement in the last few years; 
 particularly that which relates to the pun-> 
 ishment of offenders. There is now much 
 more in it that is considerate and equitable, 
 and less of what is arbitrary and cruel. Yet 
 it is very different from that of our beloved 
 country, and very far from what we expect 
 it will be, when the principles of the loving 
 Jesus, and his Gospel, are better known. 
 It makes too free with human life; a crime 
 of which it were well if every legislature 
 professedly Christian, were guiltless. 
 
 There is a tribunal to which offenders are 
 brought, and after the witnesses are exa- 
 mined, if the judge should pronounce the 
 prisoner guilty of a capital offence, the mat' 
 ter is referred to the King, and he immedi^ 
 ately orders his execution. It is to be re- 
 gretted, that the poor creature is not al- 
 lowed any time for reflexion, or intercourse 
 with spiritual instructors after his condem- 
 nation, but is immediately led away and 
 beheaded, and his body is generally left to 
 be devoured by dogs, or birds of prey. I
 
 173 
 
 'did not believe that dogs would touch hu- 
 man flesh, till I had proofs of it in this I- 
 sland. Here the dogs are different to those 
 which "belong to our own country ; they are 
 very eager after it, and yet the living have 
 no reason to fear being attacked by them. 
 They always wait for the departure of life 
 before they begin to devour the flesh. 
 
 As to the civil arts, though the Malagas- 
 sy have not made much progress in them, 
 yet they are certainly an ingenious people, 
 The trades practised among them are few ; 
 but in those to which they attend they shew 
 themselves to be skilful. The cloth of which 
 their robes are made, is their own manufac- 
 ture; their mode of spinning and weaving, 
 is very simple but tedious ; the loom is put 
 on the ground ; and consequently, this low 
 seat prevents that freedom of motion which 
 is desirable to execute such a work. Their 
 silk robes too, the workmanship of which 
 is very neat, are woven in the same way ; 
 and so are those which the poor wear, 
 though made of a sort of grass, which they 
 call Jabou. 
 
 Their mats are some of them very tine,
 
 174 
 
 and with the same material they have be- 
 gun to make hats ; an article of dress not 
 used till very lately; at first, the children 
 used to bring to school a mat, and request 
 me make them a hat of it ; but now they are 
 able to plait to the proper shape for hats. 
 
 There are few things which the natives 
 see but they attempt to imitate. A man., 
 ^vho had sat attentively looking at my comb 
 for some time, at length requested me to 
 lend it him ; and, to my great astonishment, 
 the next day, he not only returned it, but 
 showed me two others which he had made ; 
 the workmanship was certainly rough, but 
 considering that he had no proper instrur 
 ment for preparing and cutting the horn, 
 and that it was a first attempt, it was done 
 surprizingly well. I. afterwards saw them 
 made for sale. 
 
 They have carpenters and builders a- 
 mongst them, but as yet they are very un? 
 skilful. Their smiths are much more inge- 
 nious ; so great has been the improvement 
 made lately by this class of mechanics, that 
 the articles of the trade manufactured by 
 the natives, are very little inferior to those
 
 175 
 
 made in our own country. Mr. Jeffreys be- 
 ing desirous to see their method of smelt- 
 ing iron, paid a visit to Amourounkay, the 
 place where the ore is found. When it is 
 first dug up, it resembles sand; but it is 
 coarse and weighty, being almost all pure 
 metal. 
 
 Their method of smelting is- simple, but 
 by no means expeditious ; they first form a 
 circle with charcoal, about three feet in di- 
 ameter, and several inches in depth; the 
 iron for smelting is laid around this, three 
 or four inches in thickness. On the outside, 
 they place a large quantity of stones to 
 keep the whole together; and at the dis- 
 tance of about two feet, are the bellows, 
 with two pipes, which convey the wind to 
 the bottom of the charcoal ; the bellows 
 consist of two cylinders, with a piston to 
 each, rendered air tight. Several days pass 
 before the iron is melted down and fit for 
 use. 
 
 From Amorounkay, he went to the place 
 where the shovels are forged ; the men had 
 a small fire on the ground, and the atten- 
 tion of one was entirely occupied with the
 
 176 
 
 bellows; the anvil is not more than six in- 
 ches square, and about the same height from 
 the ground ; on this was laid the iron, which 
 four men, with large hammers, were strik- 
 ing with great regularity ; the other, with 
 an instrument similar to tongs, formed the 
 shovel. 
 
 Some of the natives work in gold and sil- 
 ver, and make chains and ornaments for the 
 wrists and ancles ; the males wear them on 
 the left wrist, and on the right ancle ; the 
 females on the contrary wrist and ancle. 
 One of the natives made a silver spoon and 
 fork for my eldest boy, out of some dollars 
 we gave him ; and though they are not so 
 handsome as those made in our own coun- 
 try, yet they have been viewed with inter- 
 est, and they will ever be so regarded by 
 me.
 
 THE SCHOOL AT AMBATOUMAN-* 
 GA. 
 
 MR. Jeffreys was most deeply impressed 
 with the persuasion, that no part of Mis- 
 sionary labour in this Island was more im- 
 portant, or promised happier results, than 
 the instruction of the native children ; I en- 
 tered with him fully into this sentiment, 
 and our united efforts were directed to this 
 object. We had a considerable school at 
 the station where we resided; and although 
 I have previously mentioned the Schools at 
 the capital, I cannot forbear giving a par* 
 ticular account of that which was solely 
 under our own superintendance. 
 It was formed on the Lancastrian
 
 178 
 
 this was chosen, not only because of the fa- 
 cilities it affords of instructing a large num- 
 ber of children at a more moderate expence 
 than any other, but because it so early pro- 
 vides resources for its own continuance and 
 enlargement. We found the native children 
 thus disciplined, very soon prepared to af- 
 ford assistance in the business of instruc- 
 ting others, and much pleased to be so oc- 
 cupied. 
 
 We had about twenty girls, and the same 
 number of boys. Our hours of school bu- 
 siness, were from nine till two every day ; 
 their punctuality of attendance, and their 
 general eagerness to obtain instruction, 
 were in a high degree gratify ing ; the boys 
 were taught reading, writing, spelling, and 
 arithmetic; and, in addition to these, the 
 girls were instructed in needle-work. The 
 children appeared generally to possess good 
 natural abilities; they were disposed to 
 value instruction, and this ensured a pro- 
 gress that was quite interesting to their 
 teachers. Before they separated, they unit- 
 ed together in a song of praise to the God 
 of our salvation.
 
 179 
 
 Besides school engagements, Mr. Jeffreys, 
 when the weather and his strength permit* 
 ted, daily walked among the natives in our 
 neighbourhood, for the purpose of con- 
 versing with them ; or else engaged with 
 those who would meet in the place appro- 
 priated to public worship. Some extracts 
 from his own Diary, will afford the reader 
 an idea how those services were attended, 
 and how much his own heart was interested 
 in them, and in his Missionary work in ge- 
 neral. 
 
 June 13, 1823. Mr. J. says, " It was with 
 much delight I found myself surrounded 
 this morning by about forty adults, besides 
 the School, who had met to hear the word 
 of life. I discoursed on the power, the wis- 
 dom, and the goodness of God, as seen in 
 Creation, Providence, and Redemption ; and 
 they appeared to listen with great atten- 
 tion. Some seemed much impressed with 
 what they heard, and confessed that all 
 I had said was just and good. O that a di- 
 vine blessing might attend the word in the 
 name of the Lord Jesus ! 
 
 Aug. 1. " After catechizing the childreu
 
 180 
 
 this morning, I preached; the attendance 
 was not quite so good, but many appeared 
 to hear with attention : at the close of the 
 service, I walked to a village about two 
 miles distant, and after going round, and 
 making known my design in visiting them, 
 a few collected together, to whom I deli- 
 vered the words of eternal life. When I 
 had concluded my address, I catechized the 
 children who accompanied me, and then 
 sung and prayed ; the poor ignorant people 
 were much astonished and pleased, and re- 
 quested me to come again. 
 
 Lord's day, Sept. 27. " I left home after 
 the morning service, with an intention to 
 visit a village nearly five miles distant; 
 but met a number of men who were going 
 to the forest for wood for the King. Whilst 
 holding some general conversation with 
 them, it struck my mind, that an opportu- 
 nity presented itself for preaching the Gos- 
 pel. I immediately enquired, if they could 
 remain a short time to hear me speak of 
 God. They said, ' Yes, and they should be 
 very glad to hear what I had got to say.' 
 I accordingly spoke to them of this great
 
 181 
 
 Being, as the Creator of all things ; of his 
 power, and wisdom, and goodness ; of the 
 lost condition of man by nature, and his 
 need of a Saviour ; of Christ, as that Sa- 
 viour, and of his willingness to save all 
 who desire his salvation : they listened with 
 attention, and apparent pleasure. I trust I 
 was faithful ; my heart glowed with affec- 
 tion towards them, whilst it pitied their pe- 
 rishing condition. By this unforeseen cir- 
 cumstance, nearly one hundred human be- 
 ings heard the Gospel. O that it may prove 
 to be good seed sown in good ground ! 
 
 Lord's day, Oct. 12. " This afternoon I 
 preached at a neighbouring village, and 
 found* my spirits quite refreshed by the 
 willingness with which the people came to 
 hear ; they were so pleased, that before the 
 service could close, some of them went out 
 and brought two ducks to present to me, 
 and would have interrupted me to accept 
 their offering, but I begged them to wait a 
 short time ; so they sat down again. Hav- 
 ing finished the sermon, I requested them to 
 kneel down with me, whilst we prayed; 
 some laughed ; but an elderly man desired 
 R
 
 182 
 
 them to be quiet, and to kneel, or else they 
 should be put out of the house; upon which 
 they all knelt down. It was an interesting 
 season, may it have been a useful one ; may 
 the blissful moment soon come, when some 
 of these people shall with earnestness en- 
 quire, What must we do to be saved 7 and 
 be constrained to avow themselves on the 
 -Lord's side; 
 
 " O happy days ! Ye moments, haste ! 
 
 Lord, give them eyes to see, 
 Sin and the curse for ever past, 
 
 And heaven restored in thee." 
 
 Those wlio read the above extracts, will 
 be aware, that to preach the word was Mr. 
 Jeffrey s's anxious and beloved employ. It 
 was in this part of missionary work he 
 found his greatest pleasure ; and to this he 
 directed his particular aim. Hence arose 
 his great anxiety to learn the language of 
 the country, and the unremitted attention 
 he gave to its attainment. His progress am- 
 ply repaid his labours ; and it was so rapid 
 as to astonish the natives. I have very often
 
 183 
 
 heard them say to him, " You are wise; yon 
 have learned to speak quickly." One year 
 had not passed, before he commenced hold- 
 ing conversations with the people in their 
 own language on the sabbath in the school 
 room. He used to tell them, that if he did 
 not make himself understood, he should be 
 glad if they would stop him, and enquire 
 more particularly ; and if he used wrong 
 words, he desired them to put him right; 
 and this he did with so much affection and 
 kindness, that the poor people felt encou* 
 raged to comply w r ith his request. He found 
 this very much aid him in the acquirement 
 of the language. For nine months before 
 we left the Island, he delivered regular dis- 
 courses on the Lord's day, either at home, 
 or in the surrounding villages. 
 
 It is indeed with a mournful pleasure, 
 that my memory revisits the spots, where, 
 with affection and energy, I have heard him 
 invite his swarthy hearers to come to the 
 Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 With similar feelings, do I recollect our 
 domestic devotions, when the servants were 
 all present, and in their native language,
 
 184 
 
 we uiiited in the exercises of prayer aud of 
 praise. How delightful and refreshing were 
 those seasons! Then indeed did God open 
 to us streams in the desert, without which 
 our souls would have fainted ; these sea- 
 sons of family piety are still pleasant in 
 recollection, and my heart at times sighs 
 for their return, though I know that the sigh- 
 is vain. He who by the fervour of his devo- 
 tion, aud the warmth of his affection to- 
 wards the blessed God, rendered these ser- 
 vices so deeply interesting and instructive, 
 is on earth no longer. He is gone to join in. 
 the worship of heaven. I may go to him, 
 but he will no more return to me, or to. his, 
 beloved children. 
 
 But from indulging these anticipations, I 
 feel myself called away, to give the history, 
 of those days that immediately preceded 
 the death of my beloved husband, and the. 
 occasion of our leaving the Island of 
 dagascar.
 
 DEPARTURE FROM MADAGAS- 
 CAR. 
 
 TO leave Madagascar, and withdraw for a 
 time from those labours of instruction, and 
 missionary work in which we were en- 
 gaged, was the source of considerable re- 
 gret to Mr. Jeffreys, and to myself. We fre- 
 quently thought of various ways in which 
 we feared the cause might suffer from our 
 doing so, and we did not yield to the ad- 
 vice of those who recommended it, till we 
 felt persuaded that the dispensations of di- 
 vine Providence also said, Go. In the month 
 of January, it pleased God to visit me with 
 a painful indisposition, which gradually 
 wasted my strength; and this continuing, 
 R 3
 
 186 
 
 the apprehensions of those around me in 
 the month of May, were so much awakened 
 on my behalf, that they 'recommended our 
 visiting the Mauritius for a few months. 
 Accordingly, June 4, 1825, we set out from 
 our peaceful home, and journeyed to the 
 coast; promising our servants and neigh- 
 bours, that we hoped to see them again be- 
 fore long. 
 
 We arrived, after travelling about thir- 
 teen days, at Tamatave, in circumstances of 
 greater comfort than we had expected ; and 
 on the following Tuesday we embarked for 
 the Mauritius, on board a vessel that came 
 to trade with Madagascar for rice and cat? 
 tie. Mr, Jeffreys entered into an agreement 
 with the Captain, to convey us and our four 
 children to Port Louis, for two hundred dol- 
 lars. In consideration x>f this sum, he pro- 
 mised to make our accommodations very 
 comfortable; but as soon as we got on 
 board r we perceived that they would be VCT 
 ry much the reverse. We found our mat- 
 trasses carelessly thrown on some sacks of 
 rice in the hold of the vessel, close to the 
 place where the cattle were standing, accj
 
 187 
 
 the only separation between us and them: 
 were a few raised sacks of rice. We had no* 
 other spot to occupy, excepting when the- 
 weather permitted us to walk on deck. The* 
 Captain, who was a French Roman Catho-. 
 lie, though sensible of our disappointment,- 
 and uncomfortableness, was not at all con-< 
 cerned to make our accommodations more* 
 agreeable by kind attentions on his part. 
 
 All our family continued in comparative 
 health, the first nine days of the voyage; 
 but on the tenth, Mr. Jeffries, and our eldest 
 girl, complained of pain .in the head. This 
 alarmed me, and we had recoursei to the 
 medicine usually employed, when such sad 
 symptoms of threatening disease first ap- 
 pear. In the case of Mr. Jeffreys, we were 
 soon encouraged by appearances of suc- 
 cess; but with respect to the little girl, all 
 our efforts seemed fruitless. On the follow-: 
 log morning she was so decidedly worse, 
 and her strength so much wasted, that I ex- 
 pressed my fears to Mr. Jeffreys, that she 
 was in a dangerous state ; but he did not 
 think so, and endeavoured strongly to dis-> 
 sipate my fears, by telling me not to iJoubi
 
 188 
 
 the divine faithfulness; and that he be- 
 lieved the Lord would bring us in due time 
 to the'desired land ; he also used many other 
 expressions of confidence to comfort my 
 anxious heart. But how short-sighted is 
 man ! How mercifully hidden from us are 
 the big events of futurity, and indeed often 
 of the coming hour ! How perfectly uncon- 
 scious was he of the sorrows in which, in a 
 few hours, I was to be involved, from be- 
 holding him in a state of wild delirium, and 
 from seeing our dear child expire in death, 
 without a friend to comfort me, or to sooth 
 my anguish. But such was His appointment 
 who gives to none an account of his doings ; 
 and though we are oft constrained to say, 
 "Clouds -and darkness* are round about 
 Him," yet we cannot doubt but that jus- 
 tice and judgment are the habitation of his 
 throne; and that in the end we shall see 
 mercy and truth before his face. 
 
 About five o'clock in the afternoon of 
 this day, Mr. Jeffrey complained of cold ; 
 and, as evening was- approaching, he said, 
 that he would go below ; and hoped, that iu 
 a little time I should follow him with the
 
 dear children. I did so in about half aa 
 hour; and perceiving us at the gangway, 
 he came to the bottom of the ladder, and 
 took the little ones from me. This was the. 
 last time they were ever embraced in their 
 father's arms. In a few minutes I per- 
 ceived, from the incoherent manner of his 
 speech, that his head was greatly affected,' 
 and I persuaded him to go to bed; but the 
 delirium increased on him very rapidly. I 
 
 However, after talking incessantly for 
 about an hour, apparently quite exhausted, 
 he fell into a deep sleep, perspiring very 
 profusely. I now began to despair of his. 
 recovery, though I continued using all the- 
 means in my power, praying most ardently, 
 for a blessing on them. 
 
 I, scarcely knew how to divide my atten- 
 tions between my husband; and my little- 
 girl ; but whilst he slept, I went to the bed- 
 of our dear Elizabeth, and was surprized to. 
 find her so much exhausted, as to be unable, 
 to speak to me, and scarcely capable of no-, 
 ticing.me. Fearing she would not live even, 
 through the night, I requested the Captain, 
 to. let me have a light, He said very .roughs
 
 190 
 
 ly, " It is contrary to the rules of the ship; 
 but I suppose you must have one." I now 
 attempted to give her a little tea, but she 
 could not swallow it ; her breathing indeed 
 was scarcely discernible. I sat watching her 
 till about eleven o'clock, when I found her 
 becoming very cold in the extremities of the 
 body, and the forerunners of death most 
 strongly marked her countenance. O how I 
 longed to get a word from her in reference 
 to her feelings ! I said, " My dear Eliza- 
 beth, you are almost gone; how do you feel 
 in the prospect of death 1 Are you happy 1"' 
 She remained silent, and apparently insen- 
 sible. I continued to watch her till about 
 midnight, whenlier spirit, loosened from its 
 clay tenement, fled into the unseen world. 
 
 I was now quite alone ; in the gloom of 
 the midnight hour, agitated with the an- 
 guish of this painful bereavement, and in 
 anticipation, brooding over more bitter sor- 
 rows as likely to come upon me. I sat for 
 sometime in silence by the bed of the dear 
 corpse ; all around were wrapt in slumber. 
 No sound was heard save the slowly mea- 
 sured tread of the watch pacing the deck,
 
 191 
 
 and the fipling of those waters against the 
 side of the vessel, that I considered as wait- 
 ing to entomb the body of my departed 
 child. At length my attention was roused 
 by the striking of a bell that announced the 
 change of the watch ; upon which, I went 
 and informed the Captain of what had tak- 
 en place. He came down with me, and on 
 viewing the corpse, as I thought, very un- 
 feelingly, " This body must be immediately 
 removed." I said, "No, it shall not; it must 
 at least be kept till morning; that if the 
 dear father is well enough, he may see it." 
 Upon this, he again left me ; and in my so- 
 litary condition, under feelings of indescri- 
 bable anguish, I was able to have recourse 
 to prayer ; and can attest, to the praise of 
 his glory, that I found him faithful who has 
 said, " Call upon me in the day of trouble, 
 and I will answer thee ;" the promise was 
 fulfilled in my experience, " As thy day is, 
 thy strength shall be." It was to me then, 
 and is now in the review, almost a miracle, 
 that with a frame so weakened by sea-sick- 
 ness as to be scarcely able to stand alone, 
 I could endure such fatigues of body, and
 
 192 
 
 at all bear up under such accumulated sor* 
 rows as then lay upon me; but the Lord 
 sustained me, and suffered me not to shrink 
 from the performance of those painful du- 
 ties that claimed my attention. 
 
 Early the next morning, Saturday, July 
 the second, the Captain came to me, saying, 
 that he could not allow the body to remain 
 on board any longer ; and, as I saw no pro- 
 bability of Mr. Jeffreys being sufficiently 
 well to be informed of the event, I submit- 
 ted, and the dear corpse was committed to 
 its watery tomb. 
 
 I found the separation exceedingly pain- 
 ful, but my attention was called off from 
 the event in a great measure, by the very 
 distressing condition in which my beloved 
 husband lay. His strength was rapidly de- 
 parting, through continual and profuse per- 
 spirations; and his mind so completely en- 
 veloped Hi stupor, that the most I could ob- 
 tain from him this day was, " Yes," or 
 " No." 
 
 Early on the morning of the next day, 
 which was the sabbath, I perceived him to 
 be restless, and spoke to him. In reply to
 
 193 
 
 the enquiry, " How are you!" He said, " I 
 am very well, thank you, love." I replied, 
 " Not very well, I fear;" at which he ap- 
 peared surprized, and added, " I feel no 
 pain at all ; I am only very weak ; but I 
 shall be better as soon as 1 can get from 
 this wretched vessel." On my expressing a 
 fear that he had the Malagassy fever, he 
 said, " No, I have not ; you are too anx- 
 ious; how is Elizabeth 1 !" I hesitated a mo- 
 ment, and not daring in his weak state, to 
 name what had taken place, I evaded it by 
 saying, " I hope on the whole better." Af- 
 ter taking a little tea, and some more medi- 
 cine, he complained greatly of thirst, and 
 his prostration of strength terrified me so 
 much, that I could not forbear expressing 
 my fears on his account, which he answ'ered 
 by saying, " O my love, still hope; and say 
 with Job, ' Though he slay me, yet will I 
 trust in him." 1 replied, " My heart seems 
 more disposed to adopt the words of Jacob, 
 ' All these things are against me." He an- 
 swered, " Don't you know that it is said, 
 ' All things work together for good, to them 
 that love God 1' And why not this dispen-
 
 194 
 
 sationt Be not afraid, only believe." Thus 
 did he affectionately aim to console my 
 troubled heart; but every word was as a 
 probe that increased my pains ; for whilst 
 it more endeared him, who was already ve- 
 ry dear, it aggravated the painfulness of 
 my anticipations, in the prospect of being 
 very soon separated from one who had so 
 often been my comforter in the hour of tri- 
 bulation. 
 
 Soon after, in a very exhausted condition, 
 he fell asleep ; and about eleven o'clock in 
 the evening, as he continued somewhat com- 
 posed, I endeavoured to take some rest, as 
 I had not before even attempted it for three 
 nights ; but my attention was soon roused, 
 by his beginning to sing, to the tune of the 
 hundredth psalm, the well-known doxology 
 of Bp. Kenn j 
 
 " Praise God, from whom all blessings flow ; 
 Praise Him, all creatures here below ; 
 Praise Him above, ye heavenly host, 
 Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." 
 
 He went through these lines with great
 
 feeling and emphasis, though with much 
 difficulty, on account of bis extreme weak- 
 ness. Viewing him, as I did at that momenty 
 as near his entrance on the hearenly state, 
 I was delighted to find his heart attuned to 
 praise ; and I strove to join him in the work 
 which had always been pleasant to him; 
 but my bursting heart forbad the attempt : 
 I turned aside, overpowered with grief, and 
 exclaimed, " Call me no more Naomi, but 
 call me Marah !" 
 
 The next morning, when giving him a lit- 
 tle tea from a small spoon, which was the 
 only way in which he could now take it, he 
 told me, that he was ID no pain, though ex- 
 tremely weak ; and added, " I do not ap- 
 prehend danger; don't, my love, be so anx- 
 ious; you are injuring yourself greatly; 
 one of the children cries on deck ; go to the 
 dear children, my love, and be more com- 
 posed." I went, but could not stay away 
 from him, as I felt convinced, the tie was 
 loosing, which had existed for four short 
 but interesting years the bond of much mu- 
 tual comfort and happiness. I was peculi- 
 arly anxious, not to lose one of the few mo- 
 s 2
 
 ments that might remain of his stay in the 
 body. Though my absence was short, yet 
 on my return I perceived he had altered, 
 and I suspected that he did not know me ; 
 but in answer to my enquiry, he said, " To 
 be sure, I know you, and love you." With 
 many tears, he added, " I feel much for you 
 and the dear children ; but I commend you 
 to God ; he will take care of, and provide 
 for you." I said to him," Are you happy 
 in prospect of dying!" He replied, " Very 
 happy." On my saying, " Is Christ preci- 
 ous to you T' He said, " He is precious ; 
 still precious ; I have no other source of 
 happiness." After this, he looked on me 
 with great feeling, and said, " I love you, 
 and my dear children ; but I love my Sar 
 v iour more ; to be with him will be better. 
 I can leave you to that God, who promises 
 to be the Father of the fatherless, and the 
 God of the widow." Now, hearing the child 
 cry, and knowing there was no one to at- 
 tend to it, he embraced me, and said, " Go 
 to the dear children." These were the last 
 words he uttered ; for when I returned, I 
 found his ability to speak was gone. He
 
 197 
 
 was apparently sleeping ; I listened atten- 
 tively, and found respiration had not ceas- 
 ed, though it was irregular ; and, in a few 
 minutes after, without a sigh or struggle 
 that was perceptible, he expired. 
 
 So peaceful was his departure, that I did 
 not know exactly when his happy spirit 
 brake loose from the clay tabernacle, and 
 took its flight to that world, where, 1 trust, 
 he received that " far, more, exceeding, and 
 eternal weight of glory," which God had 
 prepared for him. 
 
 Every one will think, that this must have 
 been an hour of peculiar anguish to me; 
 and so it was; but they will also perceive, 
 that I was not permitted to sorrow as one 
 without hope; and in. this mercy, the great 
 secret of my supports are to be found. The 
 next morning early, his dear remains were 
 committed to the silent deep; there to rest, 
 till at the command of Jesus, " the sea shall 
 give up the dead that are therein." 
 
 No opportunity was given to his- beloved 
 
 friends to attend his funeral solemnities, 
 
 and to mingle their tears of affection and 
 
 esteem. The widow's heart alone was cou- 
 
 s3
 
 198 
 
 scious of the bereavement, and bled in se- 
 cret, when made sensible, that the sailors 
 were busy preparing the body for its watery 
 tomb. No marble monument now tells where 
 his ashes sleep, or publishes his virtues to 
 the passing traveller ; but they have a re- 
 cord in my memory's page, that I would 
 fain make legible ; not, I hope, from osten- 
 tation, but that his children may never for- 
 get that they had a Christian Father ; and, 
 by the view of his excellencies, be invited 
 to resemble him. I have no doubt but that 
 many will expect some farther information 
 relative to the departed Missionary. I shall 
 therefore attempt to gratify this desire, 
 though I feel quite inadequate to write 
 what might deservedly be called a Memoir 
 of him* 
 
 He was born at Ellesmere in Shropshire* 
 and was the son of Thomas and Mary Jef- 
 freys; by his pious mother, who has now 
 met him in the realms of glory, he was tak- 
 en to hear the Rev. John Thomas of the same 
 town, and under his ministry he received 
 very early impressions concerning the state 
 of bis, soul. I have often heard him say,
 
 that among his very early companions, he- 
 was often saluted by the name of Method- 
 ist. He used to say, that he could not tell 
 the exact period of his conversion to God,, 
 as he had not been driven from the ways of 
 sin by the terrors of Siaai, but had been 
 drawn to Christ by the still small voice of 
 mercy echoing from the Gospel of peace. 
 
 Soon after his union to the Christian 
 church, his mind was much exercised with 
 desires towards the work of the ministry. 
 This was, at length, made known to the 
 Pastor ; and after his talents had been tri- 
 ed, he was recommended to the Academy at 
 Blackburn, then under the care of the Rev. 
 Joseph Fletcher, A. M. and admitted a stur 
 dent in 1817. After spending nearly three 
 years in the Seminary > he expressed his de- 
 sire to be engaged in the work of Foreign 
 Missions. He did not express a preference 
 for any one part of the world; but said, 
 " Wherever you think I can be useful, there 
 send me." 
 
 In May 1821, his Tutor recommended him 
 to the Board of Directors in London, as a 
 suitable missionary for Madagascar. They
 
 200 
 
 accepted him ; and with all his heart he 
 soon after engaged in the course of mission- 
 ary work and enterprize, which it has been 
 the object of the former part of this work 
 to detail ; and from it God has pleased to 
 call him, that he might receive the reward 
 of those who continue faithful to the death. 
 Never did I discover in his ardour to preach 
 the Gospel to the heathen any abatement ; 
 but it rather grew exceedingly, and espe- 
 cially after he found himself able to speak 
 to them in their own tongue. He had trials 
 and discouragements to occasion griefs, but 
 the most impressive lamentations that I ever 
 heard from him were, that he could not 
 speak of Christ to poor sinners more; and 
 that he did not see them coming to him as he 
 wished for salvation. I do not, therefore, 
 hesitate to say, that in him the Missionary 
 Cause has lost a devoted advocate and la- 
 bourer; and the poor natives of Madagas- 
 car, a friend that affectionately and ardent- 
 ly, and perseveringly, even to his death, de- 
 sired and sought their spiritual welfare. 
 But God can fill up the vacancy, which is 
 occasioned by his death ; and I hope he will
 
 201 
 
 by a more able and a more successful la~ 
 bourer ; and so sanctify the solemn event to 
 those left on the field of labour, that what 
 their hands find to do, they may do it with 
 all their might, and be able, whenever the 
 summons comes, to give up their account 
 with joy. 
 
 To me, and my dear children, the loss is 
 great; they have lost a tender and an affec- 
 tionate father, and I a beloved and faithful 
 and indulgent husband. But I must not re- 
 pine, because the Lord has done it ; and he 
 says, " I will be the Father of the father-, 
 less, and the God of the widow; and the 
 recollection of the mercy that has attended 
 my own family, and a widowed mother, for 
 now more than thirty years, presents such 
 direct proofs of the fidelity of God to his 
 word, that it would be sad indeed if I al- 
 lowed myself to doubt it; nevertheless, af- 
 fliction for the present, " is not joyous, but 
 grievous." 
 
 I cannot even here refrain from mention- 
 ing the kindness and Christian sympathy I 
 met with at Port Louis. On my arrival at 
 that place, fourteen days after the death o
 
 202 
 
 MF. Jeffreys; the Christians there, among 
 whom I must be allowed to mention the 
 Rev. Mr. Le Brun ; and Mr. Kelsey, who is 
 a member of the church uuder the care of 
 the Rev. Rowland Hill, in London, paid so 
 much respect to the memory of my depart- 
 ed husband, and treated; me and the chil- 
 dren with so much kindness and liberality, 
 that I think it a duty and a pleasure to 
 mention it. On the sabbath after my arriv- 
 al, the afflictive event was improved in a 
 sermon by the Rev. Mr. LeBrun, from Isai- 
 ah Ivii. 1,8-. 
 
 Notwithstanding the arduous nature of 
 Missionary work, and the sorrows and sa- 
 crifices that sometimes attend it,, the Writer 
 of the foregoing pages considers the condi- 
 tion and employ of none more honourable 
 and happy, than that of persons truly de- 
 voted to it. Though she has had a portion 
 of suffering and toil in it, that she is sure 
 will not be considered small by any that 
 peruse her history, yet she believes that she 
 has not had one grief too many for the ac- 
 complishment of the divine purposes in re- 
 ference to her spiritual welfare. She needed
 
 203 
 
 discipline, and still needs it ; and ventures 
 to say, that if all the painfulness of her 
 missionary career were now in prospect, she 
 thinks, the hope that God would sanctify it 
 to her spiritual profit, and overrule it in 
 connexion with her labours, for the salva* 
 tion of souls, would be sufficient to induce 
 her to engage again in a work, the success 
 of which lies near her heart ; 
 
 " Fly abroad, thou mighty Gospel, 
 
 Win and conquer, never cease ; 
 May thy lasting wide dominions, 
 
 Multiply, and still increase ; 
 Sway thy sceptre, 
 Saviour, all the world around!"
 
 "ilta i*j;;. 
 
 fic ,j-._
 
 SUBSCRIBERS' NAMES. 
 
 A LADY, by Lady S. Somerset, 2 copies 
 Arundel, Rev. J. Home Secretary to the London 
 
 Missionary Society, 2 copies 
 Ash, Esq. Bristol 
 A Friend, Kingston 
 Agnew, Mrs. 19, Green Street 
 Apperley, Mr. J. Cainscross 
 Allies, Mr. James, Worcester, 2 copies 
 A Friend, do. 
 A Friend, Bath 
 Allies, Mrs. Warminster 
 Austin, Mrs. Wem 
 Anstie, Mr. P. Devizes 
 Armstrong-, Mrs. N. Shields 
 Adams, Mr. Camberwell 
 Adams, Mrs. S. do. 
 Adams, Mrs. Frome 
 Ayns, Mrs. Frome 
 Ash, Mr. W. Romsey 
 Alexander, D. Esq. Yarmouth 
 Adkins, Rev. T. Southampton 
 Andrews, Mr. Newport 
 Ay res, Miss, Stroud 
 Adam, Mr. do. 
 Allin, Miss, do. 
 Andrews, Mrs. Newport
 
 SUBSCRIBERS' 1 NAMES. 
 
 Barbara, Lord, Barbara Court, Maidstone 
 Barbara, Lady 
 
 Beaufort, Her Grace the Duchess of, 2 copies 
 Blakiston, Lady, Southampton 
 Bowie, Doctor, Bath, 4 copies 
 Bishop, Rev. W. Gloucester 
 Band, Mrs. do. 
 Barbut, Rev. S. Chichester 
 Bayley, Mrs. 13, Queen Square, London, 4 co- 
 pies 
 
 Barnard, Mr. G. Bath 
 
 Bowdler, Mrs. Hannah, and Friend, 3 copies 
 Bradford, Misses, Worcester, 2 copies 
 Boon, Mr. 
 Bright, Mrs. 
 
 Baillie, Mrs. S3, Cavendish Square 
 Basket, Mrs. and Mrs. Jesse, 3 copies 
 Bendle, Mrs. Carriage Road 
 Bennett, Miss, at Lieut. Gen. Orde's 
 Barter, Mr. Surgeon 
 Burcombe, Miss, Kingston, 2 copies 
 Barger, W. Esq. Ilminster 
 Blower, Mr. Surgeon, Worcester 
 Bulford, Mr. do. 
 Blackwell, Mr. do. 
 Breere, Mrs. Bath 
 Bryant, Mr. do. 
 Bolt, Mrs. do. 
 Barnard, Mrs. F. do. 
 Baylis, Mr. Rodborough 
 Butler, Mr. N. do. 
 Baylis, Mr. S. do. 
 Barnes, Mrs. Worcester 
 Brookholding, Miss, do. 
 Burden, Mr. S. do. 
 Bury ; Mr. S. do.
 
 SUBSCRIBERS' NAMES. 
 
 Bury, Miss, do. 
 
 Butcher, Mrs. East Westg-ate Street 
 
 Berry, Mrs. Warminster, 2 copies 
 
 Brodritb, Mr. do. 
 
 Brodritb, Mr. T. A. do. 
 
 Brodritb, Mrs. N. do. 
 
 Brodritb, Mrs. W. do. 
 
 Brown, Mrs. do. 
 
 Buckler, Mrs. W. do. 
 
 Barber, Mr. Church Warden, Wem 
 
 Burton, Mr. do. 
 
 Briscoe, Mr. do. 
 
 Butensen, Mr. do. 
 
 Budd, Rev. H. Bridge Street, London 
 
 Bowles, , Esq. Cirencester, 6 copies 
 
 Blake, Mrs. Sherborne 
 
 Bolster, Miss, do. 
 
 Brotherstow, Mr. Liverpool 
 
 Bell, Dr. do. 
 
 Blease, Mr. do. 
 
 Barling-, Mr. Romsey 
 
 Barker, Mrs. N. Shields 
 
 Bramwell, Mrs. do. 
 
 Bates, Mrs. do. 
 
 By ram, Mrs. do. 
 
 Bmks, Mr. do. 
 
 Barling-, Mrs. Weymouth 
 
 Beddome, Mrs. do. 
 
 Brown, Mrs. Bow Common, London 
 
 Binns, Mrs. Cheap Street, 2 copies 
 
 Brewer, Mr. Thomas, Preston 
 
 Bowman, Mr. John, do. 
 
 Bunn, Mr. Frome 
 
 Bennet, Mrs. do. 
 
 Briscoe, Mr. do. 2 copies 
 
 Brittain, Mr. do.
 
 SUBSCRIBERS'' NAMES. 
 
 Bryant, Mr. Frome 
 Berry, Rev. , Newbury 
 Bennet, Mrs. Guernsey 
 Beddome, Mr. J. Romsey 
 Beasley, Mr. Gosport 
 
 Bishop, Rev. , Newport, Isle of Wight, 2 co- 
 pies 
 
 Baker, Mr. And over 
 Burder, Rev. J. Stroud 
 Birt, Mr. do. 
 Bird, Mr. do. 
 Barnard, Mr. Stroud 
 Bloxome, Miss, do. 
 Bassano, Rev. C. Leamington 
 Bassano, Mr. J. do. 
 Barnet, Mrs. do. 
 Bird, Mr. do. 
 Berry, Mr. do. 
 Brown, Mr. J. do. 
 Baines, Miss, do. 
 Binney, Rev. T. Newport 
 Brown, Mr. do. 
 
 Calthorpe, Hon. Frederick, Grosvenor Square, 
 2 copies 
 
 Calthorpe, Lady Charlotte, 2 copies 
 
 Caton, Mrs. Penge-Hill,Sydenham,Kent 3 2 co- 
 pies 
 
 CreaK, Rev. A. Yarmouth, 2 copies 
 
 Clayton, Mrs. J. 2 copies 
 
 Cottle, T. Esq. Bristol 
 
 Crisp, Rev. T. S. do. 
 
 Chandler, Mr. do. 
 
 Crook, Mr. Bath 
 
 Cottle, Mrs. Widcombe 
 
 Crane, Miss
 
 SUBSCRIBERS' NAMES. 
 
 Clement, Miss, Kingston 
 
 Cox, Miss, do. 
 
 Collins, Mrs. do. 
 
 Collins, Messrs J. and R. Ilminster, 2 copies 
 
 Cope, Mrs. Ross 
 
 Garden, , Esq. Worcester 
 
 Chesterton, Miss, do 
 
 Chalk, Mrs. Westgate Street 
 
 Chaffin, Mr. 37 Kingsmead Street 
 
 Cargill, Mr. Gloucester 
 
 Clarke, Miss, do 
 
 Cornish, Mr. do 
 
 Cox, Mr. do 
 
 Curtis, Mr. do. 
 
 Chidloe, Miss, Wern 
 
 Cudbury, Miss Taunton 
 
 Chandler, Mr. Sherborne 
 
 Caston, Rev. Mr. do. 
 
 Cearns, Mr. Edw. Liverpool 
 
 Crockett, Mr. Devizes 
 
 Crighton, Mrs. N. Shields 
 
 Crump, Rev. H. F. Weymouth, 2 copies 
 
 Chalmers, Mr. London 
 
 Cox, Mr. Stepney 
 
 Cox, Mrs. do 
 
 Copland, Mr. do. 
 
 Crowcher, Mr. do 
 
 Cave, Mr. Pulteney Street 
 
 Carnson, Rev-. D. Preston 
 
 Chambers, Mrs. do. 
 
 Cuff, Miss, Frome 
 
 Chapman, Mr. do 
 
 Chasty,Miss, do. 
 
 Cottle, Mrs. Bath 
 
 Comeley, Mrs. T. Romsey 
 
 Comeley, Mrs. do 
 
 u
 
 SUBSCRIBERS' 
 
 Cartvv right, Mrs. do 
 
 CartwrigTit, Mrs. W. London 
 
 Creak, Mr. London 
 
 Coxhead, Rev. Winchester 
 
 Coates, Mr. do 
 
 Cooke, Miss, Newport 
 
 Cattarns, R. Esq. do. 
 
 Cantlow, Miss, do 
 
 Cooper, Mrs. do. 
 
 Cox, Mr. do. 
 
 Cave, Mrs. do 
 
 Cowdery, Mr. do 
 
 Clarke, Mrs. A. do. 
 
 Cordes, Mr. London 
 
 Clutterbuck, Mrs. Stroud 
 
 Champion, Mr. do. 
 
 Clayfield, Mr. do. 
 
 C. H. 
 
 Cordes, C. A. Esq. London 
 
 Clarke, Mrs. Alex, do 
 
 Cowdery, Mr. Jos. do. 
 
 Cooke, Miss, do 
 
 Cox, Mrs. Wooten Bridg-e 
 
 Davies, Rev. J. Rodborough 
 
 Deare, Mr. Widcorabe 
 
 Davis, Mrs.Uath 
 
 Duke, Mr. llminster 
 
 Davies, Mrs. J. Worcester 
 
 Daniel, Mr. do 
 
 Davis, Mr. H. do 
 
 Dowgall, Mr. Green Park Place, Bath 
 
 Dunn, Mr. Woodchester 
 
 Dawson, Mr. London 
 
 Done, Miss, Warminster 
 
 David sou, Mr. London
 
 SUBSCRIBERS' NAMES. 
 
 Davidson, Friend of Mi*. London 
 
 Dickson, Mr. do 
 
 Dixon, Mrs. N. Shields 
 
 Dewan, Mr. J. Stepney 
 
 Dudden, Mrs. Frome 
 
 Dryland, Rev. J. Newbury 
 
 Dawkins, Mr. R. Romsey 
 
 Davies, Rev. P. Whitchurch 
 
 Dean, Mr. Benham Cottage, Newbury, 2 copies 
 
 Deane, Mr. J. 
 
 Davis, Mrs. 
 
 Dymock, Mrs. 
 
 Devenish, Mrs. Bulford, 2 copies 
 
 Drawbridge, Mr. Lymington 
 
 Erskine, the Hon. Mrs. T. Lincoln's Inn Fields, 
 
 4 copies 
 
 Elliott, Rev. , Devizes 
 Edwards, Rev. P. Wem 
 Everett, Mr. John, Warminster 
 Everett, Mrs. do 
 Elliott, Mrs. London 
 Evill, Mrs. John, Bath 
 Evans, Mr. R. Worcester, 20 copies 
 Egan, Miss, do 
 Elliott, Mrs. Kingston 
 Edgecombe, Mr. G. Ellesmere 
 Elsbury, Miss, 37, Kingsmead Street, Bath 
 Evill, Mr. James, do 
 Ensor, Mr. Edw. Milbourn Port 
 Evens, Mr. J. Guinea Street, Bristol 
 Elliot, Mr. Portsea 
 Elkins, Mr. J. sen. 
 Elkins, Mr. J. jun. 
 Eldridge, Mrs. Newport 
 Essex, Mr. do
 
 SUBSCRIBERS' NAMES. 
 Extern, Mrs. do Newport 
 
 Farrer, Miss, Lincoln's Inn Fields 
 
 Farrer, W. L. Esq. do. 
 
 Farrer, Mrs. Thomas, do 
 
 Farrer, Oliver, Esq. do 
 
 Fletcher, Rev. J. Stepney, 6 copies 
 
 Fox, Mr. Thomas, North Paracfe, Bath, 2 copies 
 
 Fisher, Miss, Paragon Buildings, do. 
 
 Fisher, Mr. C. do 
 
 Fernell, Miss, near Reading, 3 copies 
 
 Finigan, Mr. and Miss, Bath, 2 copies 
 
 Fleet wood, Mrs. Wem 
 
 Francis, Mrs. Bath 
 
 Fenton, John, Esq. do 
 
 Faweas, Mrs. N. Shields 
 
 Ferries, Captain, R. N. Weymouth 
 
 Ford, Mr. John 
 
 Fisher, Mr. Limehouse 
 
 Fisher, Mr. J. Commercial Road 
 
 Foster, Mr. do 
 
 Frank, Mr. Stepney 
 
 Francis, Mrs. Frome 
 
 Ford, Mr. Winchester 
 
 Freeman, Mr. Newport 
 
 Fisher, Mr. W. Winterbourn 
 
 Fitchett, Mrs. Broughton 
 
 Foukes, Miss, Southampton 
 
 Gough, Rev. Walter, Wem 
 Griffiths, Mrs. Wem 
 Griffith, Mrs. Wem 
 Gwynn, Mrs. Edw. do 
 Gough, Mr. Edw. do 
 Gwynn, Edw. sen. do 
 Green, Miss, Warminster
 
 SUBSCRIBERS' NAMES* 
 
 Godwin, Mr. C. Balh, 2 copies 
 
 Golding, Misses, Bathwick Hill, 2 copies 
 
 Gill, Mr. and MTS. do 2 copies 
 
 Goldston, Mrs. R. 
 
 Griffith, Mr. and Mrs. Widcombe 2 copies 
 
 Griffith, Mr. R. South Parade, 2 copies 
 
 Giller, Mrs. Horse Street 
 
 Goulter, Mrs. Cambridge Place 
 
 Gregory, Mrs. 
 
 Galley, Miss, Kingston 
 
 Grey, Miss, do 
 
 Grey, Lady, Portsmouth 
 
 Grey, Miss, do 
 
 Gorden, Miss, Hackney 
 
 Goedere, Miss, Worcester 
 
 Gauntlet, Mr. Baker, Bath 
 
 Graham, Miss, Bath, 2 copies 
 
 Godwin, Mr. H. do 
 
 Godwin, Mr. sen. do 
 
 Gooden, Mr. 4, St. John's Place, dx> 
 
 Goodridge, Mrs. H. Bath 
 
 Gollidge, Mr. J. do 
 
 Griffith, Mr. W. do 
 
 George, Mr. do 
 
 Greenland, Miss, do 
 
 Gregory, Mr. do 
 
 Gurney, Mrs. C. 2 copies 
 
 Gason, Miss, 68, Lincoln's Inn Fields 
 
 Gillam, Miss, Worcester 
 
 Gardner, Miss, Gloucester 
 
 Gam, Mr. do 
 
 Garlick, Mrs. do 
 
 Gittens, Mr. do 
 
 Green, Mr. do 
 
 Grimes, Mr. do 
 
 Gonger, Mrs. Sherborno
 
 George, Mr. Josiah, Romsey 
 Giles, Mrs. Newbury 
 Griffin, Rev. John, Portsea, 3 copies 
 Goater, Mr. Winchester 
 Griffiths, Miss Newport 
 Gale, M. E. E. 3 copies 
 Gardner, Mr. 
 Gould, Mr. 
 
 Hall, Rev. R. M. A. Bristol, 2 copies 
 
 Hare, Esq. do 
 
 Harvard, Rev. W. M. do 
 
 Harvard, Mrs. do 
 
 Hull, Mr. Baptist Academy, do 
 
 Hankey, Mrs. T. Clapham Common, 4 copies 
 
 Hensley, Rev. C. Gainsborough 
 
 Humpage, Rev. 2 copies 
 
 Hine, Rev. C. Ilminster 
 
 Hine, Mr. and Mrs. do 
 
 Hubbard, Esq. Warminster 
 
 Hinton, Mrs. W. do 
 
 Hoar, Mr. do 
 
 Hollis, Mrs. Bishopstoke 
 
 Hilditch, Mrs. Wem 
 
 Higgins, Mrs. do 
 
 Hodgson, Mrs. do . 
 
 Hassall, Miss, do 
 
 Heatley, Mr. of Lee, do 
 
 Hallett, Mrs. Johnstone Street 
 
 Hartley, Mrs. Bath 
 
 Hill, T. Esq.Kingsmead Street, do 
 
 Hensley, Mr. and Miss, Bathwick Street, do 2 
 
 copies 
 
 Harris, Mrs. do 
 Hartsink, J. Esq. do 
 Hood, Sir Alexander, do
 
 Harrington, Mr. do Bath 
 
 Hammett, J. Esq. do 2 copies 
 
 Hunter, Miss, do 2 copies 
 
 Hotham, Miss, South Parade, do 
 
 Hunt, T.and W. Esqrs.Pulteiiey Street, do 2 
 
 copies 
 
 Hartland, Mrs. New Hall 
 Harding-, Mrs. 
 Henderson, Miss, London 
 Hanlaity, Mrs. Kingston, 2 copied 
 Haycraft, Mrs. do 
 Hoskins, Mrs. Ross 
 Harwood, Mrs. Worcester 
 Hodges, Miss, do 
 Hixon, Mr. Wands worth 
 Hodges, Mr. Rodborough 
 Hignett, Mr. Ellesmere 
 Hall, Mrs. Gloucester 
 Hale, Mrs. do 
 Hughes, Mr. do 
 
 Heudebourc, Mrs. London Field 
 Hurry, Mr. Liverpool 
 Harris, Miss, Frome 
 Harris, Mr. Bradford 
 Hail, Miss, Frome 
 Howell, Miss, do 
 Hobv, Rev. James Wey mouth 
 
 M-M- *3 _, _ 1 "> 
 
 Howden, Mrs. London 
 Honey man, Mr. Rattcliff, London 
 Hamer, Mr. Preston 
 Harrold, Mr. Frome 
 Hawkins, Mrs. Stroud-Water 
 Hill, Mr. Romsey 
 Herring, Mr. Winchester 
 Hill, Miss, Whitchurch 
 Harvey, Miss, Newport
 
 SUBSCRIBERS' 
 
 Hewett, Rev. Augustus Newport 
 
 Holmes, Dowager Lady, do 2 copies 
 
 Holmes, Lady Worsley, do 2 copies 
 
 Harvey, Miss, do 
 
 Haslock, Mrs. do 
 
 Harvey, Mr. do 2 copies 
 
 Hookins, Mrs. Southampton 
 
 Hildyard, Mr. do 
 
 Hewlett, Rev. Newbury, 
 
 Hedges, Mr. do 
 
 Hall, Mrs. do 
 
 Hawkins, Mrs. do 
 
 Hodges, Mrs. do 
 
 Holder, Mrs. do 
 
 Holder, Mr. G. B. do 
 
 Harman, Mr. W. do 
 
 Hasson, Mr. W. 
 
 Isaac, Mrs. Worcester 
 
 Ireland, Mrs. Wem 
 
 Ireland, Mr. do 
 
 Isaac, Mr. Dunsford Place, Bath 
 
 Irving, Mrs. A. Preston 
 
 Irving, Mrs. do 
 
 Inglis, Mr. Limehouse 
 
 Jay, Rev. W. Bath, 4 copies 
 
 Jervis, Miss 
 
 Josse, Mr. London 
 
 Jolley, Mr. Kingston, 4 copies 
 
 Joseland, Miss, Worcester 
 
 Jones, Mr. do 
 
 Jeffrys, Mrs. do 
 
 Jones, Mrs. South Parade, Bath; 
 
 Jeffreys, Mr. T. Ellesmere 
 
 Jacob, Mr* Gloucester
 
 SUBSCRIBERS' 1 
 
 James, Mr. do Gloucester 
 Joy, Miss, do 
 Job, Mr. Liverpool 
 Jackson, Rev. Wey mouth 
 Jackson, Mr. 8. Romsey 
 Jackson r Mr. do 
 Jewell, Mr. Newport 
 Jewell, Mr. do 
 James, Miss, do 
 
 King-, Rev. S. Bath 
 
 Kyneston, Mr. Wem 
 
 King-, Mrs. Market Place 
 
 Kent, Esq. and Miss E. K. 3 copies 
 
 King-sbury, Mrs. Bathwick Priory, 2 copies 
 
 King-, Mrs. George Market Place 
 
 Kingdon, Mr. Baptist Academy 
 
 Kippon, Mr. Gloucester 
 
 Kendall, Mr. R. do 2 copies 
 
 Kemble, H. Esq. Camberwell 
 
 Kemble, Edw. Esq. do 
 
 King-, Mr. Tower Hill 
 
 Keig-htley Mr. Liverpool 
 
 Kent, Mr. London 
 
 Kitchen, Mr. Preston 
 
 King-, Mrs. G. 
 
 Keens, Mrs. 
 
 Kent, Miss, Broughton 
 
 Kent, Mr. Niton 
 
 Kirkpatrick, Mrs. St. Cross, 2 copies 
 
 Lorton, Viscountess, Weymouth 
 Lindoe, Mrs. Shirley Common, 2 copies 
 Lemon, Miss, 8, Upper Brook Street 
 Luke, Rev. T. Taunton 
 Long-, Mrs. Bath
 
 ' NAMES. 
 
 Lambert, Mr. Bath 
 
 Lang-don, Mrs. and Miss, do 2 copies 
 
 Long, Miss, at Mr. Gilliers, do 
 
 Lewis, Mrs. do 
 
 Longdon, Mr. 2 Westgate Buildings, do 
 
 Lockey, F. Esq. 20, Walcot Parade, do 
 
 Ludlow, Mrs. Warminster 
 
 Lanfear, Misses, 2 copies 
 
 Lang-ton, Mr. Maidenhead 
 
 Lewis, Mr. Ross 
 
 Lloyd, Mr. G. do 
 
 Lloyd, Mrs. H. do 
 
 Lewis, Mr. Worcester 
 
 Long worth, Esq. W. Malvern, near Worcester 
 
 Lewis, Mrs. Worcester 
 
 Lewis, Mr. Ellesmere 
 
 Lack, Mr. F. do 
 
 Lowe, Mr. S. do 
 
 Lacey, Mr. Gloucester 
 
 Lea, Mr. do 
 
 Leader, Mrs . Wey mouth 
 
 Land, Mrs. 
 
 Liddell, Mr. Preston 
 
 Litter, Mrs. Frome 
 
 Lucy, Rev. W. Bristol, 2 copies 
 
 Lancaster, Mr. Newport 
 
 Mandeville, Viscount, North Audley Street, 
 
 London, 
 
 More, Mrs. Hannah, 4 copies 
 Martin, Mrs. Bath 
 Mansford, Mr. do 
 Marks, Mrs. do 
 Marriott, Mr. do. 
 Mertens, Mrs. do 
 Miller, C. Esq. do 
 Meertens, Mrs. do
 
 SUBSCRIBERS' NAMFE*. 
 
 Morris, Mr. do Bath 
 
 Millar, Mr. London 
 
 Mailing-, Mr. Rodboroug-h 
 
 Mailing-, Mr. F. do. 
 
 Moore, Miss, Worcester 
 
 Mears, Miss, do 
 
 Morton, Miss, do 
 
 Marsh, Mrs. E. Ellesmere 
 
 Mc'Cartney, Gloucester 
 
 Meadows, Mrs. do 
 
 Mainder, Mrs. do 
 
 Morg-an, Mrs. Warminster 
 
 Marshall, Mrs. Wem 
 
 Massie, Miss, Kingston 
 
 Merch, Mrs. Sherborne 
 
 Melling 1 , Mr. Liverpool 
 
 Murch, Rev. W. Stepney 
 
 Mease, Mr. N. Shields 
 
 Mure, Misses, 4 copies 
 
 Moore, Mr. Shad well, London 
 
 Mends, Mr. Commercial^Road 
 
 Mileham, Rev. London, 4 copies 
 
 Maitland, Mrs. Fuller^, 4 copies 
 
 Mursell, Rev. Leicester 4 copies 
 
 Mann, T. Solicitor, Andover 
 
 Moody, Mrs. do 
 
 Mial, Rev. D. Portsea 
 
 Morday, Miss, Lyming-ton 
 
 Mitchel, Mrs. do 
 
 Mursell, Rev. W. do 
 
 Mac Donald, Mrs. do 
 
 Merewether, Mrs. do 
 
 Miles, Mrs. do 
 
 Marshall Mr. do 
 
 Moxy, Mrs. do 
 
 Martin, Mr. J. do 
 
 Martin, Mrs. do
 
 SUBSCRIBERS' NAMES. 
 
 Mitchel, Miss S. Lymington 
 Maurice, Mrs. Southampton 
 Maurice, Miss, do 
 Millar, Rev. J. Blackburn, 20 copies 
 
 Newport, C. Esq. 
 
 Newell, Mrs. Bridge Street 
 
 Nicholls, C. Baptist A-cademy 
 
 Nichols, Mr. and Friends, 8 copies 
 
 Nelson, Mrs. Kingston 
 
 Noble, Mrs. Bath 
 
 Northmore, G. do 
 
 Nail, Miss, Frome 
 
 North, T. Mile End, 2 copies 
 
 Nalder, Mrs. Newbury 
 
 Netherclift, Mr. Whitchurch 
 
 Nicholson, Miss, Newport Isle of Wight 
 
 Newnham, Mr. do 
 
 Newton, Mrs. Dog 1 Dean, 4 copies 
 
 O'Bryen, The Lady Elizabeth, at the Duke of 
 
 Beaufort's, Grosvenor Square, 4 copies 
 Orde, Lieut. Gen. Gordon's Hotel, St. James's 
 Owen, Rev. G. D. Maidenhead 
 Osborne, Mr. London 
 Oram, Mr. do 
 Owthwaite, Mrs. Islington 
 Osbaldistone, Miss, Worcester 
 Ostler, Mr. Bath 
 Ogborn.R. Esq. do 4 copies 
 Ogle, Mrs. N. Shields 
 Orchard, Mr. Stepney 
 
 Palk, Mr. Southampton 
 
 Porter, Rev. J. Bath 
 
 Pelham, Hon. Mrs. Spencer, Terrace Bognor 
 
 Pendergast, Mrs. Pulteney St. Bath, 4 copies
 
 SUBSCRIBERS' NAMES. 
 
 Protheroe, Miss, 4 copies 
 
 Percival, Mrs. London 
 
 Pallmer, N. Esq. and Mrs. 2 copies 
 
 Penny, Mrs. Bond St. 
 
 Page, Mrs. Worcester 
 
 Price, Messrs. B. and E. 3 copies 
 
 Pugh, Mr. do 
 
 Padmore, Messrs. R. and C. do 2 copies 
 
 Parkes, Mrs. do 
 
 Payne, Miss, do 
 
 Parker, Mrs. do 
 
 Pitt, Mrs. do 
 
 Perrott, Mrs. and Miss, do 2 copies 
 
 Pedley, Miss, do 
 
 Pritchard, Mrs. Bath 
 
 Pugh, Mr. do 
 
 Parry, Mr. Ellesmere 
 
 Page, Mrs. Gloucester 
 
 Pollard, Mrs. do 
 
 Pidgeon, Mrs. Wem 
 
 Prince, Mrs. do 
 
 Powell, Mrs. Warminster 
 
 Proviss, Miss, do 
 
 Perkins, Mrs. Holborn 
 
 Peacock, Miss, Margate 
 
 Paton, Mr. Liverpool 
 
 Pain, Miss, Frome 
 
 Pow, Mr. 
 
 Pritchard, Mrs. 
 
 Purchase, Mr. 
 
 Prust, Mr. Bristol 
 
 Palmer, Mrs. Newbury 
 
 Paine, Mrs. 
 
 Parker, Rev. Jos. 
 
 Raffles j Rev. LL.D. 6 copies 
 J
 
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 Raikes, Rev. H. Aldwick, Bognor 
 
 Raikes, Mrs. do 
 
 Randall, Miss, Fareham 
 
 Randall, Esq. do 
 
 Redford, Rev. G. Worcester, 20 copies 
 
 Rogers, Mrs, Abbey Yard 
 
 Rouse, Mr. do 
 
 Roberts, Mr. do 
 
 Roberts, Mr. J. do 
 
 Reece, Mrs. Gloucester 
 
 Roberts, Rev. J. 
 
 Roby, Rev. Mr. Manchester, 20 copies 
 
 Rawlins, Mr. Liverpool 2 copies 
 
 Rankin, Mr. do 
 
 Roe, Mr. H. 
 
 Roberts, Mrs. N. Shields, 2 copies 
 
 Rounding-, Mrs. do 
 
 Rowell, Mrs. do 
 
 Russell, Rev. H. Broughton, 2 copies 
 
 Rogers, Mr. H. Bristol 
 
 Redmayne, Mr. Preston 
 
 Rowland, Miss, do 
 
 Rawlings, Mrs. D. Frome 
 
 Ralfs, Mr. 
 
 Rimer, Mr. 
 
 Rogers, Mr. John, Newport 
 
 Richards, Rev. Mr. do 
 
 Rudder, Mrs. 
 
 Ridley, Rev. H. C. 66, Lincoln's Inn Fields 
 
 Ridley, Mrs. 
 
 Reynolds, Mr. C. Newport 
 
 Randall, Mr. E. 
 
 Ryder, Hon. R. 4 copies 
 
 Saiidliani, Miss, Fareham 
 
 Somerset, Lady Susan, Grosvenor Square
 
 ' NAMES. 
 
 Somerset, Lady Louisa, Grosvenor Square 
 Somerset, Lady Isabella, do 
 Sparrow, Lady OHvia Barnard 
 Stowell, Rev. H. N. Shields, 3 copies 
 Stewart, Rev. E. Wem, 2 copies 
 Salt, Rev. F. do 
 Snape, Mr. do 
 Sherring, B. Esq. Bristol 
 btillmgfleet, Mrs. Worcester 
 fetevens, Mrs. do 
 Swan, Mr. do 
 Smith, Mr. do 
 Stokes, Mr. B. do 
 Smith, Mrs. J. Bath 
 Scott, Mrs. do 
 Smith, Mr. E. do 
 Sandford, Miss, do 
 Saxby, Miss, do 
 Saloway, Miss, do 
 Stickland, Mr. do 
 Shepheard, Mrs. do 
 Silver, Mr. do 
 
 Shuttleworth, Miss, do 3 copies 
 Smith, Mrs. do 
 Stanley, Mr. Gloucester 
 Swallow, Mr. Maidenhead 
 Swallow, Mr. J. do 
 Stuckbury, Mr. do 
 Shaw, Mr. Eyles 
 
 Savage, Mrs. Kingston ^f 
 
 Schofield, Mrs. do ^ 
 Shrubsole, Mrs. do 
 Sharpe, J. C. Esq. 
 Smith, Mr. Hampton Wick 
 Shepheard, Mrs. and Mrs, Henry, Hackney, 
 2 copies
 
 SUBSCRIBER? NAMES. 
 
 Shepheard, Miss E. do 2 copies 
 
 Stevenson, Mrs. Taunton 
 
 Stephenson, Rev. London -\*' v 
 
 Saunders, Rev. London 
 
 Selby, Mrs. Stepney 
 
 Salterton, Rev. J. Exeter 
 
 Slate, Rev. Preston 
 
 Shejppard, Mrs. H. Frome 
 
 Sinkins, Mrs. do 2 copies 
 
 Syms, Mrs. do 
 
 Sharp, Miss Maria, Romsey 
 
 Sharp, Mrs. Thos. do 6 copeis 
 
 Sharp, Mrs. do 
 
 Sharp, Mrs. Chris tchurch 
 
 Sarjent, Mrs. Newbury 
 
 Smith, Mr. Newport 
 
 Sarg-ent, Mr. do 
 
 Sutton, Mr. do 
 
 Smith, Mr. do 
 
 Stanley, Mrs. do 
 
 Saveel, Esq. do 2 copies 
 
 Starling-, Mrs. do 2 copies 
 
 Slatterie, Mrs. Chatham 
 
 Steel, Miss, Broughton 
 
 Stephenson, Rev. Rector of Lympsant 
 
 Stephenson, Mrs. do 
 
 Syme, Mrs. do 2 copies 
 
 Stagg, Miss, do 
 
 Taylor, Dr. 
 
 Thorp, Rev. Bristol, 3 copies 
 
 Tribe, Mr. E. Bristol r 
 
 Taylor, Capt. R. N. ' 
 
 Thomas, Mr. London 
 
 Tanner, Mr. 3 copies 
 
 Tuck, Mrs.
 
 SUBSCRIBERS' 1 NAMES.. 
 
 Tuson, Mrs. London 
 Tomes, Mrs. do 
 Terry, Mr. Bath 
 Tongue, Mrs. do 
 Taylor, Mr. George, do 
 Timbrell, Mr. do 
 Terry, Mr. J. do 
 Thompson, Lady, Fareham 
 Turbervil'.e, Mr. Worcester 
 Thompson, Mr. do 
 Tilston, Mr. R. Ellesmere 
 Tilston, Mr. J. do 3 copies 
 Taylor, Mr. do 
 Thomas, Mr. Gloucester 
 Tippetts, Mrs. do 
 Tompson, Mrs. do 
 Toomer, Mrs. 
 Tyler, Mr. Wem 
 Taze, Mrs. Islington 
 Thring, Miss, Sherborne 
 Tanner, Mr. Devizes 
 Tozer, Mrs.Frome 
 Tizard, Mrs. Wey mouth 
 Tilly, Rev. T. Portsea 
 Tidman, Rev. Mr. Frome 
 Trotman, Miss M. do 
 Thome, Rev. Mr. Winchester 
 Trumplett, Mr. 
 Tanner, Miss 
 Tayler, Mrs. Dalston 
 Thorowgood, Mr. Tottridge 
 Tomkins, Mrs. Broughton 
 Twigg, Mrs. Newport 
 Tucker, Mr. John, do 
 
 Vardy, Mrs. War minster 
 
 .
 
 SUBSCRIBERS' NAMES. 
 
 Vaughan, Mr. Wem 
 
 Veale, Mrs. Elizabeth, Gloucester 
 
 Verinder, Mrs. do 
 
 Verinder, Miss, do 
 
 Vowel, Mr. Sherborne 
 
 Van-Kerkwyk, Mrs. Bath 
 
 Upward, Mr. Newport 
 
 Urry, Mr. do 
 
 Urry, Mrs. do 
 
 Whitridge, Rev. J. Bath 
 
 Woodward, Mrs. do 
 
 Wallmer, Mrs. do 
 
 Walker, Mrs. do 
 
 Webster, "Mrs. do 
 
 Wiltshire, Mrs. do 
 
 Wood, Mr. Geo. do 
 
 Willis, Miss, do 
 
 Welch, Mr. do 
 
 Welshman, Mr. J. do 
 
 Williams, S. Esq. Clapham Common 
 
 Wild, Rev. Gainsborough, 2 copies 
 
 Winter, Mrs. Dr. London, 5 copies 
 
 Walker, Rev. Wem 
 
 Walmsley, Mr. do. 
 
 Walmsley, Mrs. do 
 
 Walford, Mrs. do 
 
 Walford, Misses, do 2 copies 
 
 Wetherston, Mrs. 94, Old Street, London 
 
 Widgen, Miss, do 
 
 Wall, Mrs .'Ross 
 
 Wathen, O. Esq. Woodchester 
 
 Wood, Mr. Rodborough 
 
 Watkins, Mr. Worcester 
 
 Whitmore, Miss, do 
 
 Wilks, Mr. do
 
 SUBSCRIBERS'* NAMES. 
 t 
 
 Williams, Mrs. Worcester 
 Wig-ley, Mrs. H. do 
 Washbourne, Mr. Gloucester 
 Welling-, Mr. do 
 Wheeler, Mr. do 
 Williams, Mrs. do 
 Wilson, Mrs. do 
 Welman, Mrs. Taunton 
 Whitty, Esq. Sherbourne 
 Whitty, Miss, do 
 Witty, Rev. J. Frome 
 Whe'ldon, Mrs. N. Shields 
 Welsford, Mr. Wey mouth 
 Williams, Esq. do 
 Walley, Mrs. Hackney 
 Wiall, Mr. Preston 
 Watson, Miss, do 
 Wilson, Mrs. do 
 Whitaker, Mr. Frome 
 Winter, Mr. Romsey 
 Webster, Sloane St. London 
 Waight, Miss, Winchester 
 Withers, Mrs. Godwin, Romsey, 2 copies 
 Wall, Mrs. Lymington, 4 copies 
 West, Mr. John, do 
 West, Mr. John, Jun. do 
 Winter, Mrs. 
 Whitchurch, John 
 Weeler, Mrs. 
 White, Miss 
 White, Mrs. H. 
 Wyatt, Miss 
 Webb, Mr. Bossington 
 Wavel, Esq. Newport 
 Wadmore, Mr. do 
 Way, Mr. do
 
 SUBSCRIBERS' NAMES. 
 
 Whittington, Mr. Newport 
 Wriford, Mr. do 
 Wallace, Mr. do 
 
 Yates, Rev. Mr. Gloucester 
 Young-, Mr. Geo. Cork 
 Young-, Mr. Ryde 
 Yelf, Mrs. Newport 
 Yockney, Misses, Bath, 2 copies 
 
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