enough to reach the bottom of it, or perhaps from some other motive, broke it at the lower part, since which event it very rarely happens that a believer has been found so devoted as to invoke the favours of a deity which can put up with such indignities from his votaries.

In the province of Emirne travellers invoke the aid of other saints. They have a remarkable predilection for certain blocks of granite, to which they fervently pray; they will say,-" Stone, beautiful stone, if you will grant success to my enterprise, I will thank you abundantly on my return." And it is a fact that many of my men, who probably had made a vow when passing it the first time, thanked each of these stones on returning most scrupulously. They are in general one or two yards long, lying on the ground, where they shine with all the glitter which the care of their worshippers produces on their surface. In the same province are found long narrow stones standing in the ground on one of their ends, some of which are five yards in height, and some surrounded by smaller ones, I never could ascertain the religious meaning of these monuments. There are tombs also in the same province in different places about the country. These have generally the form of a pyramid, with steps on the sides, from five to six yards high, but without any inscription to give them either date or notice of their origin. Some tombs, like that of Radama, contain, it is said, considerable fortunes; and the care which is taken by relatives to deposit in them some utensils of this world, proves their belief of a future existence.

Notwithstanding the intolerance, and thence the persecution to which Christianity has been subjected in the last reign, we have now at Tananarivo missionaries who not only live there in the most complete security, but also who are at full liberty to instruct the children committed to their care. Guided by good discretion, they endeavour above all things to dispense the benefits of education, and among other means by that of music, to which the Hovas are very partial. They are made to sing in very good style and in several parts, canticles and hymns, as well as little pieces to which Radama is partial. The missionaries have formed several elementary works for teaching our language, and some important persons do not fail to profit by their instruction. Religious services are also performed, and all this cannot fail to have a good effect. Perhaps these lessons may be the means of inducing these people to learn that the results of labour are more advantageous to them than those of idleness: it will be a great victory gained over the general immorality of the country, and their success will much enhance their merit.

The illness of Rabodo seems to have something more than a natural tendency, and I began to despair of obtaining an interview after all my inquiries for him, when I received the information that he would see me. I apprehended, moreover, as I had been informed that the Queen was averse to the liberal views of Radama, and disposed to support the old retrograde policy of former times. However, on proceeding to her palace I was received with the same honours which I had previously experienced from the King. Radama was by hier,

and our conversation took a turn which enabled me to comprehend the control which Rabodo has over her husband. Far from appearing hostile to progress, it seemed to me that there is but one principle, that of consummate loyalty, prevails under her roof. She did not plead ignorant of the proceedings which have been attempted about Radama in favour of Marie and her son, and was indignant that the promoters of this unpopular idea were absolutely the warmest partisans of progress. She is by no means disposed to descend from her station of Queen and abandon to her former servant the rights which she has to reign if she survives her husband.

There was perhaps a little bit of emulation in letting the people see the good understanding which existed between her and myself. So, by way of making it as public as possible, she made her husband ask me to give her my arm for a walk round the palace. Radama and all the persons present did the same with the ladies and followed us. The troops and all the people that were assembled at the palace watched this with much enthusiasm, and the impression on me was that Rabodo wishes to make herself popular, that she is inclined to dominate over her husband, but that she understands as well as he does all the advantages of a liberal and progressive policy.

On the following day or the next M. Laborde wished me to give a fête at his country house, outside the town, the house in which the celebrated conspiracy of 1857 was concerted, in which Madame Ida Pfeiffer found herself compromised without a doubt. After a sumptuous déjeuner, at which Mlle. Juliette and the French merchants at Tananarivo assisted, M. Laborde showed us over his studio and displayed the means which he had employed to attract the attention of Ranavalona and induce her to admit some useful applications into her dominions, and among others lightning conductors.

Having no motive for staying longer at Tananarivo, and indeed feeling the necessity of returning as soon as possible to France, I fixed my departure from the capital for the 31st of January, and in the morning of that day set out, accompanied by the same escort as on my arrival. The cannon of the place paid me the honours that they would do to a crowned head. I departed, in fact, with every demonstration of sympathy. Rahaniraka only, with whom I had differed, did not show himself, and shut himself in his house out of a little revenge on my departure from Tamatave. I took leave for the last time of all who had accompanied me; the national air was played on seeing the last of Radama's house above the horizon of Tananarivo, and I took my road homeward, the same by which I had entered it. Nothing of importance marked our return to Tamatave. The rains had only swelled the greater part of the water courses. We were obliged to wait two days before we could cross the River Audrama Waafana, and had to traverse in a canoe part of the plains in its vicinity, which twenty-four days previously we had crossed dry footed.

The Hova character, during my stay among them, appeared to me much less excitable than it had been represented to me, for I do not honour Rahaniraka so much as to take him as a sample of his coun

trymen. But I may say that I found in him a specimen of vanity which seemed to me hereditary. I will cite some well known instances of this. Radama the First was fond of comparing his conquests with those of Napoleon under the first empire. He placed himself on a parallel with the first Napoleon, and never could divest himself of the fear that he would some day meet the fate of the unfortunate Louis XVI. Ranavalona, when speaking of our success in the Crimea, would only admit that if the Russians were conquered by us it was because they were not so strong as the Hovas; for France and England had been beaten by them at Tamatave. Radama the Second himself, although under a sanguinary system which was at the bottom of the policy of his predecessors, like them also had his little share of vanity. After he had suppressed the collection of dues at Tamatave, he naively asked whether all the merchants of Reunion and Mauritius, struck with so much liberality on his part, would not at once come and settle in Madagascar? Nearly all the higher class reason much in the same way. Ignorance and isolation magnify to an enormous degree in their eyes the most insignificant acts, and depreciate those which go on at a distance; and again, being among those who import European fashions, by imitating their habits they believe at the same time that they have acquired their state of civilization. But they have decidedly an intelligence and a desire to learn what they do not know, along with that thirst for imitation which will have the happiest effect if only they have good examples set before them. At present, blinded by flattery, by loose manners, sensual and voluptuous, they are passionately fond of music, they abandon themselves to luxuries, and feel no shame in bartering their opinions in state affairs. But in spite of their warlike origin, or the torrents of blood which have flowed from their barbarism, I do not believe them to be naturally given to falsehood or cruelty, nor that they are so bad as to be capable of compromising the safety of a visitor. A Hova dare no more lift his hand against a white man than a Malgache would do so against a Hova.

(To be continued.)

THE WESTERN DIVISION OF THE MEDITERRANEAN.—Winds and Weather.

`(Continued from page 241.)

The easterly winds of winter are always severe and trying from the gloomy thick weather by which they are attended and the heavy sea that they raise, being, in fact, the scourge of the Spanish and African ports. After some days of a northerly wind an easterly wind may be expected, and also after a clear land wind on the coasts of Spain. NO. 6.-VOL. XXXII.

2 R

The commanders of coasting vessels having a common saying, "terral en España, levante en campaña," the land wind in Spain, the levanter en campaña, a saying that is often realised.

After the vendaval has been prevailing for many days and the wea ther has become settled, from the natural veering of the gales the wind shifts round to the land, some two or three days, or perhaps more, may be expected of clear sky and fine weather. The wind veers then to the N.E. quarter, blowing from N.N.E. and N.E., clear and fine for the first few days; but in proportion as it veers eastward, clouds gather about until it settles at East, accompanied with dark cloudy weather and rain. It continues thus for two or three days; veers to E.S.E. and S.E., then passes rapidly to South and S.W. In February and March it does not remain long there, for it soon becomes West, and settles at N.W., clearing up the atmosphere.

One of the most certain signs of the easterly wind in winter is, after the wind for several days has prevailed from the land, that of clouds being seen gathering in the horizon to the N.E., originating in the gulf of Lyons, driven before the N.W. wind, compact and white, and called by navigators packs of cotton, and by meteorologists cumulus. At the same time a hollow sounding sea is observed, which runs on the Spanish coast as if it came from the N.E., but flows into the harbours as if from the S.E. That kind of sea, the more observable the nearer to the gulf of Lyons, shows the strength of wind there is in it, and which more or less rapidly runs on the coast, changing insensibly to East or E.S.E.

Las Tascas (a local expression) of the port of Barcelona are often seen breaking in the midst of fine weather, which waves originate in the gulf of Lyons, the precursors of the N.E. or E.N.E. wind, which will set in perhaps in less than twenty-four hours. Even in the coves and bays of the coast of Alicant these are observed, and are an infallible sign of a norther in this gulf, and one also of an easterly wind in the gulf of Valencia. When the cumulus clouds are observed in this gulf beyond Cape Oropesa in the direction from the land seaward, a N.E. and easterly wind may be looked for.

On the Spanish coast the winds from N.W. to N.E. bring clear weather. They are generally announced by the still condition of the atmosphere, and also by its transparency, which admits of distant objects in the interior being distinctly seen. If it appears that the clouds collected over the land to the eastward are dissipating or dissolving, or those on the western sides of the summits of the mountains are passing to the eastward, these are signs that in the upper regions of the atmosphere a westerly wind is prevalent.

On the African coast N.W. winds are attended by dirty weather, especially in January and February; they bring heavy showers and raise a heavy sea, very detrimental to coast navigation. The worst gales on this coast are those which, beginning at S.W. with dirty

* Or Leon, as in last number.

weather, shift to West, and settle at N.N.W. Nor are those from N.E. anything less trying to navigation when they back round to North, especially from Cape Tenez to the eastward, on which part of the coast they throw all the heavy sea that is raised by them in the gulf of Lyons, producing great trouble in the coves and bays. The waves driven by the furious northers in this gulf, are not less than 33 feet high in the opinion of Admiral W. H. Smyth.

In March and April the easterly winds are already established on the coast of Africa, with which there is better weather there than with westerly winds. The northers have become less severe there, and may be said to be over in April. If in this month, which is generally rainy, easterly winds predominate, there will be fine weather. A heavy sea from the northward, running on the African coast from Algiers to the eastward, is an infallible sign of a norther originating in the gulf of Lyons, that sooner or later will come down on the coast. The heavy gale which took place on the African coast in January, 1833, gave four days' notice of its approach by a heavy swell showing itself in different streams of current. It commenced from the N.W. with an overcast sky: shifted to the North, bringing heavy showers of rain, and then veered to N.E., but hauled back again to North. The swell which was raised was so high that in breaking over the pier at Algiers it washed over the magazines. Eighteen vessels were dismasted, as well in the port as in the roadstead, without reckoning other damages; and eleven were lost in the anchorage of Bona.

The northers begin to be felt in December and January, the season when the Pyrennees and the Alps are covered with snow. In the few years when snow has fallen in Africa, the northers have not been so severe, so that only the swell reaches the coast.

It may be said that the months of March and April being past, (which are those of transition from winter to summer,) fine weather is established in the Mediterranean. During these months, and particularly in March, the wind is variable, and sudden changes occur, which produce heavy rains. If a gale springs up suddenly it is generally of short duration, the weather soon clearing up again. In April the contests between the northerly and southerly winds become less, the northerly winds prevailing; the effect of the sun getting into the northern hemisphere.

It must be observed that there is by no means a regular recurrence of the same winds at each particular season, as just observed; for many years might be cited when easterly winds constantly prevailed throughout them, and others in which westerly winds did the same. With good reason navigators designate such years as año de levantes in which the easterly wind has been the most tenacious; and año de ponientes those in which the westerly winds have been so constant as to detain vessels for months consecutively in the eastern part of the Strait of Gibraltar, without allowing them to pass its narrows.

Barometrical Changes.-The barometer must not always be considered as an infallible index of the weather; but should undoubtedly