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68 VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. chap. hi. slender, elastic, and gracefully foliaged stems at the top j formed a naturally pointed arch of peculiar elegance and beauty. At other times the sides of the road were covered for a considerable distance with the agave, or American aloe, of gigantic size, and in every stage of progress towards flowering, in some instances interspersed with the more slender and graceful forms of the Fourcrsea and other smaller species. On our right the sugar plantations, covered with tall, green, waving canes, stretched away four or five miles towards the sea; and on our left, at the distance of from 300 yards to a mile, the dark brown sterile or wooded mountains towered, often in fantastic forms, high up into the bright blue sky. The object of this visit was to be present at the an niversary of the Protestant chapel here, of which the Rev., P. Le Brun, son of my worthy host at Bort Louis, was the minister. Soon after ten we walked to the chapel of this rural dis trict. It is a neat substantial stone building, standing near the road, on land originally purchased by the London Mis sionary Society for the use of the Christian refugees from Madagascar, several of whom, including Rafaravavy, at one time resided here. The chapel, which will hold three or four hundred persons, was filled with coloured people, respectably, and in some instances gaily, dressed. They listened with at tention to a plain, affectionate, and instructive sermon from M. Le Brun, Senior. There was a large gathering of singers, and the simple melody of one of the Swiss tunes seemed alike agreeable and appropriate. The service closed soon after noon; and when we left the building it was truly gratifying to witness the air of contentment and kindly feeling which marked the cheerful countenances and cordial salutations of the crowds outside, who had met together on this occasion from the adjacent country and more distant parts. It was also particularly pleasing to observe the grateful esteem and