CHAP. V. VISITORS FROM THE CAPITAL. 129 The following day a chief residing in the neighbourhood came to me bringing with him his son, a fine intelligent youth about sixteen years of age, who, he said, knew a little English, and wished to learn more. I was glad to see him and another young chief who accompanied him, and had re cently arrived from the capital. He was aide-de-camp to the prince royal, and seemed unusually intelligent. I lent the youth an English and Malagasy book, which he asked per mission to copy out as a means of learning, and I spent some time in teaching him the pronunciation of English words. His companion was deeply interested in some books lying on my table, and with many others remained the greater part of the day at my house. Visits such as these were opportunities for doing good of which I very gladly availed myself, and they occurred often. A tall noble-looking chief also arrived, accompanied by a number of strangers who had recently come from the capital, and had brought letters from residents there conveying much interesting intelligence. When my visitors wrote down on paper what they had to say I could generally, by reference to the dictionary for a word or two, understand what it meant. I then wrote my reply, and when at a loss my servant, a Malagasy from Mauritius, acted as interpreter. Four or five of my visitors when they left me wrote on a sheet of paper, which at the time was lying on my desk, their cordial and affectionate salutations. This was the commencement of many agreeable and instructive interviews with my tall friend and his companions, who had but recently arrived at Tamatave, where they remained till I had left the island. About a week after the commencement of the observances connected with the New Year, I received an invitation from the governor to a public dinner, which was to be given by order of the queen to the residents and others on the occa sion ot the national festival. The dinner was given at the K