In this important matter I have felt personally interested for several years. Anxious at one time to provide for the Directors a good map of the interior, we found that exact details were wanting. We knew the names of prominent mountains, rivers and stations, but where to place them no one could say. The Directors then applied to our missionaries in the island: and several excellent journals and sketch maps were communicated in reply. The principal contribution to our effort was this. Mr. Cameron the senior member of the mission, after carefully fixing the position of Antanánarivo, commenced a triangulation of the plain of Imerina: and step by step prepared a most valuable map of those portions of the province contiguous to the capital: the defect of the map was, that though it indicated the chief positions, it did not exhibit the form and height of the ground. Aware that part of our duty would require us to visit the whole of the central portions of the island, my colleague and I prepared to take advantage of our opportunities and add something at least to the knowledge of these provinces possessed by the geographical world. We carried out our purpose under the happiest auspices. We were everywhere received as friends. We invariably informed the Prime Minister of our movements and proceedings; we were at liberty to go where we liked, and we experienced nothing but hospitality and kindness. By special permission we photographed the Queen’s Palace and the Royal tombs; we planted our theodolite, compass and tripods on the tops of hills and in the open markets; and we let every one know that we were anxious to make a correct map of the country for their use as well as ours. In the first instance we worked on Mr. Cameron’s lines. We went over a great portion of his work; revised it from our own observations; and extended it in all directions. To the north-west we laid down Vonizongo as far as the population extends. West and south-west we carried the survey to Ambohiveloma; over all Imamo, to Lake Itásy and the districts of Mándridráno and Menabé. Thence we passed it through Betáfo and Sirabé: enclosed the Ankárat mountains within it and measured their height. With Mr. Cameron himself, as I have already shown, we continued the survey down the Betsileo Province to its southern end. Eastward we laid down Angávo, the moors of Ambátoména, the plain of Ankay, and the Sihánaka Lakes. And finally by a route lying west of that taken by M. Grandidier, we went down to the sea at Mojangá. The work proved most enjoyable. We followed up the country step by step, greatly aided by the numerous conspicuous hills, with whose names and appearance we soon grew perfectly familiar. The MAP which accompanies this little volume is one result of our work: and the red lines which mark our routes upon it will show how fully we traversed the country and how much of it we saw with our own eyes.