Christian work has prospered in Ambátondrazáka. Here, as in other places, the Hova Christians from Imerina, thrown on their own resources, have steadfastly maintained their hold on the Gospel. They keep the Sabbath: they maintain public worship, having two services a-day; they have an appointed pastor; they send their children to school. Here, as elsewhere, we saw a few copies of the new Bible; several teachers have been sent to the country churches; and even grown people have learned to read. It was specially pleasant to us to find that the young pastor of the church, Andríamáhaléo, was not a Hova, from a distance, but was an Antsihánaka, a native of the province. Though in early days his people had been refused permission to learn to read or write, as a boy, quick and shrewd, he had secretly taught himself to do both. Being employed in the office of the Governor, he had observed the form given to words, which he knew to have been inscribed on the public letters: he compared the inscription on one letter with that on another: and arguing back from known meanings and known sounds, he learned to identify those sounds with the written symbols. He became a Christian: he picked up knowledge; and he became so well acquainted with the Sihánaka customs and laws, that he was appointed one of the judges of the province. He proved also an excellent expounder of the Scriptures, and the church invited him to be their pastor. “I am not wise,” he said; “I wish to know more of the Word of God myself; but they said I was able to teach them; and I do my best.” Having taken farewell of the Governor, on Friday morning we commenced our tour round the southern and western sides of the Sihánaka province. All the centre of the province is under water and is occupied by the great reed swamps, or by the deeper waters of the Aláotra Lake. The population has settled on the roots of the hills by which the basin is surrounded. For two hours and a half we proceeded westward along the edge of the hills or crossed one or two narrow arms of the swamp on frail plank bridges, and then reached the prosperous village of Ambóhidéhiláhy. The village contains a hundred and fifty houses, and is situated on the end of a long clay promontory. The chapel is a simple building, made of reeds; but we found a new and much larger one, at its side, in course of erection, of substantial clay bricks and solid timber-roof. The good people gave us a hearty welcome, in the middle of the village. They placed before us abundance of beef, poultry, eggs and baskets of rice; and with the usual inquiries after the authorities and ourselves and the usual words of welcome, begged our acceptance of their present.