CIIAP. II. VISIT OF PORT OFFICERS. 23 their queen were the laws of Madagascar, and if any one wanted to live there they must be subject to the queen’s laws; if not, they must leave the country. This, and much more to the same effect, we did not attempt to dispute, but asked a few questions respecting the general state of the country and people. When these officials left us, we sent to the governor the letter which Mr. Cameron and I had written to the queen, asking permission to pay a visit of friend ship to the capital: a note at the same time was sent to the governor, asking him to forward our letters, and one which Mr. Cameron wrote to his friends there, explaining more fully the object of our visit to Antananarivo. A number of letters were also sent on shore for the French traders, and some of the natives. The captain said lie should only deliver the letter from the merchants to an officer sent especially by the governor to receive it. The harbour master said he might as well forward it by them, as the governor would send one of the officers then present for it. But as the captain said his instructions were specific to deliver it only to an officer sent by the governor for that purpose, the party returned to the shore,promising to consider a request we had made for fresh pro visions during the time we might have to wait for the queen’s reply to our letter. In about an hour, one of the younger officers, having been sent by the governor, came on board and received from the captain the letter and memorial of the mer chants ; for which he wrote and signed in a good plain hand, a receipt in the native language. Mr. Cameron was not recog nised by any of the natives who came on board, nor did the harbour master remember having seen me, though I had been frequently with him when he was in England. During the rest of this day crowds of people appeared at intervals on the beach, but there was no further communi cation between the shore and the ship; and when the still calm evening came, and the shadows of night were silently c 4