precautionary measure, to cut their hair, and then to follow the guide to the port at Tamatave. It was getting dark when they left the house; they hastened on, with many an anxious step, till their guide brought them to the jungle near the port, where he left them for a short time, that he might announce to their friends, the party that had engaged to take them on board, that they had now reached the spot. Their friends came, with a suit of sailor's clothes for each, as the most effectual means within their reach of evading suspicion. They put them on in the jungle. This was now a most critical moment. Within

a few minutes they must, after all their escapes, either be detected, or they would be beyond the reach of detection. One of the party concerned for their escape went to the guards at the landing-place to amuse them with some tales, while the others took our friends privately on board.

The ship weighed anchor early next morning and sailed for Mauritius. Having got fairly out to sea, these Christian refugees said to one another, "Let us now, like Abraham's servant, bless the Lord, for he has prospered our journey and granted us our request. Blessed be the God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," said they, "who has not left us to perish by the hand of Our souls are escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowler."

the enemy.

Having thus seen our fugitive friends safely embark at Tamatave on their way to Mauritius, we may perhaps venture to linger a little while on the coast of Madagascar, notwithstanding the anger of the Queen at the escape of any of her subjects from her grasp, and present a brief notice of the history of Ramiandrahasina, who so

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effectually aided the concealment and escape of the refugees, and who is himself at present at Mauritius.

The father of Ramiandrahasina was a civil officer, called Vadintany, in the time of Radama. He left the capital to reside on the coast at Tamatave, taking with him his son, who was at that time of tender years. On the death of the father, the son succeeded him in office, and was ultimately constituted a judge and a colonel in the army, a combination of offices neither very common nor very desirable.

He had a pious relative, who became extremely anxious on account of his spiritual welfare, and proved the means, after persevering exertions, of the conversion of Ramiandrahasina, some time prior to the suppression of Christianity in the country. When the Queen issued her order that all the Bibles, &c. in possession of the natives should be returned to the government, he resolved on retaining his at all risks. He resided in a house belonging to the government at Tamatave, and prepared a place under the floor of the house in which he might conceal them. Being required to remove suddenly from the house in consequence of some other arrangements, he was compelled to leave his books where he had secreted them, and was in daily apprehension of their discovery, which of course would lead to his condemnation.

The oppressive measures adopted by the government, and which by virtue of his office he was compelled to assist in executing, created the deepest distress of mind. He was obliged to associate with the officers and judges, and to exact fines from the people, against which his whole heart burnt with honest indignation. On one

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occasion he was employed by his superiors to compel some people to pay a fine, simply because, in repairing a battery, they had appeared somewhat discontented and sullen, and had not, in fact, shouted the national sound of joyful gratification while performing their laborious and unwelcome task! Was it unnatural that a man possessing any of the common feelings of humanity should long to escape from the fangs of such an intolerant and merciless government? The only wonder is, that so many should so long submit to such cruelty and tyranny. Could they place confidence in one another, and rally round a leader of common sense and independent mind, the galling yoke would be instantly burst from their necks.

Still, Ramiandrahasina had no plan nor intention of escaping or attempting to escape from the country, till some time after he had aided in the escape of the refugees. How kindly and effectually he assisted them has been already mentioned, and need not be repeated.

It was some time after the fugitives were gone that he found their escape was a subject of conversation with the traders and some of the natives at Tamatave, the latter of whom intimated to him rather broadly their thoughts on the affair. He then perceived that the only plan left to him of preserving his life and that of his nephew (James) would be to escape to Mauritius before they might be apprehended. He accordingly engaged a passage for himself and his nephew, and reached the Mauritius in November, 1838, having paid the expenses from his own resources, as well as the passage of two of his attached servants who could not be induced to separate from him.

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Since his arrival, he has been employed by Mr. Baker, the Society's Missionary printer at Mauritius, where his Christian character remains unblemished, and his time is usefully occupied in acquiring such knowledge in the arts of printing and bookbinding as may be, it is hoped, of very essential service in the future stages of the mission, when an entrance into Madagascar shall be again provided.

It should perhaps be stated, that in escaping from Madagascar, the Christians were but accomplishing their own expressed and most earnest wishes. It is not that their European friends had urged them to the measure. To these belongs neither the commendation nor the censure attaching to the plan. The following is a deeply affecting and interesting extract from a joint letter, on the subject of escaping from the country, written by a considerable number of natives, and addressed to the Rev. D. Johns, dated 28th July, 1838.

"We visit you with a letter, for this, which we now hold in our hands, will come to your hands. We received your letter sent us by our mutual friend, Joseph. You say you desire to see us, and that though our path be difficult, it is the road to eternal life. Thanks be to God for having given you strength to declare this path to us, and for giving us an ear opened to hear. We can now say as the Samaritans did: 'Now we believe, not because of thy saying, for we have heard him ourselves and know that this is the Christ, the Saviour of the world.'

"When Christian saw Apollyon coming to meet him, he began to tremble and hesitated whether to stand his ground or return; but considering he had no armour for his back, and that turning back might give his enemy an advantage in piercing him, he resolved to stand. This expresses our state of mind.

“We have also this to say; you have been the means of saving our souls from the second death. We cannot hesitate, then, to tell you our temporal circumstances; for, as the Saviour said,

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"Who is our father, mother, sister, or brother, but those who hear the word of God and keep it?' We therefore explain to you what our condition is, that, if possible, you may do something to relieve us. We say, if possible, for our Saviour himself employed that expression in his prayer to his Father: If it be possible, let this cup pass from me.'

"That you may know our wish, read Matt. x. 23, 'When they persecute you in this city, flee ye to another;' and 1 Sam. xxvii. 1, 2; David said, 'There is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me to seek me any more in any coast of Israel,' &c. We leave it with you to decide, for you know best, whether you can do anything for us in that way or not.

"P.S. Please to send us some Spelling Books, and farewell till death."

To such an appeal there could be but one responsea resolution to assist them in effecting their escape. The attempt was made; and on behalf of a few it has happily proved the means of preserving a portion of the "leaven," by which a large part of Madagascar is yet, it may be hoped, to be leavened.