A group of people from a British ship have gone ashore to stretch theirlegs, when enemies approach, the ship's boat retreats to the ship andthey are left stranded ashore. The book deals with their efforts tofind what they hope will be civilisation in the capital of the Island ofMadagascar, which is something like the size of France. Unfortunatelythe reigning Queen has a hatred of Christianity which had been broughtto the Island by missionaries some forty years before. Our heroes findthemselves assisted by a Christian net-work, but when they get to thecapital they are appalled by the carnage and torture they find when theQueen has one of her rages against Christianity.Based on fact, the story told here of the repression of Christianity inan emerging nation was all too true. The Queen died in 1867, and wassucceeded by her son, an altogether different person, at which point ourheroes take ship for England, and the story ends.The story is full of action, the only quibble being the long and rathersimilar names the Malagasy people who appear in the story have. Thismakes it sometimes rather hard to make out what is happening.CHAPTER ONE.INTRODUCES THE CHIEF ACTORS AND A FEW MYSTERIES.Intense action is at all times an interesting object of contemplation tomankind. We therefore make no apology to the reader for dragging himunceremoniously into the middle of a grand primeval forest, andpresenting to his view the curious and stirring spectacle of two whitemen and a negro running at their utmost possible speed, with flashingeyes and labouring chests--evidently running for their lives.Though very different in aspect and condition, those men were prettyequally matched as runners, for there was no apparent difference in thevigour with which they maintained the pace.The track or footpath along which they ran was so narrow as to compelthem to advance in single file. He who led was a tall agile youth ofnineteen or thereabouts, in knickerbocker shooting-garb, with shortcurly black hair, pleasantly expressive features, and sinewy frame. Thesecond was obviously a true-blue tar--a regular sea-dog--about thirtyyears of age, of Samsonian mould, and, albeit running for very life,with grand indignation gleaming in his eyes. He wore a blue shirt onhis broad back, white ducks on his active legs, and a straw hat on hishead, besides a mass of shaggy hair, which, apparently, not findingenough of room on his cranium, overflowed in two brown cataracts downhis cheeks, and terminated in a voluminous beard.