PREFACE. The chief part of the following pages was written in Madagascar. It was my habit, whether travelling or residing in one place, to note down, generally at the close of the day, the impressions produced by the novel or attractive objects I might have met with, or the information I might have gathered from the people. This record of daily occurrences was from time to time sent home in the form of journal letters; and from these letters chiefly the following narratives have been prepared. More than twenty years have elapsed since the last English missionaries left Madagascar, and during this period religious changes of the most decisive nature, and events of the highest and most sacred character, have occurred amongst the people. The imperfect, and at times conflicting, accounts of these events received in England indicated the desi rableness of a personal visit. Such visit has been made, and was, there is every reason to believe, wel come to the government and people of Madagascar; A o