nothing neatly or well. Many of our men are skilful workers in
metal, and we owe much of our power in that way to English missionaries,
who brought Christian mechanics to the capital. There is hardly
anything in the shape of wrought iron-work that we cannot execute if we
have a model or pattern. We can work also in copper and brass. But it
is not only in metals that we can work fairly well--indeed _very_ well,
if we are to take the word of some of your own countrymen who have seen
and judged our work--we are also pretty good at pottery and
cabinet-making. As you have seen, we can weave good cloth of cotton and
silk, and some of our ingenious men have even tried their hands at
clock-making and musical instruments."

"From what you say, Madagascar will soon become a great country, I
should think," said Mark, somewhat amused as well as interested by the
evident enthusiasm of the guide.

Ravonino shook his head. "My country might become great," he returned,
"but there are some things much against her. The system of forced
service to the government instead of taxes is one. This tends to
repress ingenuity, for the cleverer and more ingenious a man is the more
will be demanded of him, both by the government and his own feudal
superior. Then the love of strong drink is too common among us; and
last, as well as most serious, great multitudes of our people have no
regard at all for their Maker."

"Why, Ravonino," said Mark, with something of a smile, "from the way you
speak of `our' people and `my' country, I fear you think more of your
Malagasy than your English extraction."

For a few moments the guide was silent. At length he said, slowly,
"England has indeed done us a service that we can never repay. She has
sent us the blessed Gospel of Jesus Christ. She is also the land of my
father, and I reverence my father. He was very kind and good to me.
But this is the land of my _mother_! I am a man of Madagascar."

It was evident from the expressive features of Ebony, who had joined
them, that he heartily approved of this maternal preference, but the
gravity of the guide's countenance, no less than his pathetic tones,
prevented his giving the usual candid vent to his ever-ready opinion.

Towards the afternoon the party arrived at the native village, where
grand preparations for festivities had been made. It was evident also
that some parts of the festive libations had been taken in advance, for
the head-man had