The good people offered us rather a damp welcome: and it was evident that in general intelligence they were somewhat behind the age. The elder who was their spokesman, after inquiring about the health of the Queen, and the officers in the Capital; and gradually localising his interest in the health of the Governor at Ambátondrazáka, and the Lieut.-Governor at Ampárafáravóla, concluded by asking how the gun was, which guards the stockade of the latter town. This gun is a little thing on large wheels, a one-pounder, cast by M. Laborde in former days in the factory at Mantasoa. The Malagasy are still in that early stage of social intelligence, which believes strongly in guns, and rather overlooks the importance of having brave hearts to manage them. In former days, in these formal interviews with strangers or with Government officers, the people frequently inquired after the guns. This was the only occasion, however, on which the inquiry was addressed to ourselves. I am afraid that the general depression seriously interfered with the reply of our friend Mr. Sibree. The dignity and fulness, with which he usually dwelt upon the affairs of the kingdom and the health of the authorities, and the flowery elegance with which he would describe the purpose of our visit, entirely failed him here. His reply was brief and guarded; and the gun he passed over in total silence. We were anxious to cross the Alaotra lake this afternoon, so as to reach Ambátondrazáka to-morrow evening and hold a service with the people. We inquired therefore eagerly after the canoes which were necessary. There was an evident reluctance about the people, which we could not understand; but with which our bearers sided: all were anxious that we should stay for the night. However we got them together and went down to the water. Not a boat was visible: so we spent an hour on the shore, admiring the loveliness of the view before us. Meanwhile the east wind blew strong over the lake, as it usually does in the afternoon; the lumpy water, in solid waves, came tumbling in at our feet: and the conviction grew that, with shallow, cranky canoes, laden with baggage and more than fifty human lives, the passage across the lake in such a wind and sea, was utterly unsafe. The people knew the fact well: the proper time to cross is the early morning before the wind rises: but why had they not the moral courage to tell us plainly? The mists had disappeared; the afternoon was bright; and the entire province in all its strangeness lay before us. We took a few observations, which proved to be of unusual value, and quietly settled down for the night in Ambohitsára. The chapel was a poor place to stay in; it was indeed “an airy habitation and a name.” But the tents provided sleeping quarters, and we bore the reeking atmosphere and the cold winds as we best could.