Chapter VI: The Land and the People of Madagascar

The East Coast of the Island—The West PAGES
Coast—Travels of M. Grandidier—Maps of 158-188
Madagascar—Mr. Cameron’s Survey—Additions
made by us—Size of Madagascar—The Mountain
mass along its centre—Terraces on all
sides—The Malagasy people a single
race—Their Three Tribes and their
Sub-divisions—The Malagasy not an African
race—Their Malay origin—Evidence supplied
by their Language—New Words from Arabic,
French and English—Reference to Madagascar
by Marco Paolo—Early Navigation of the
Eastern Seas very extensive—Phœnician,
Hindu, Chinese and Malay—Madagascar
colonised by Malays—Three independent
Movements—Traditions of the Hovas—Their
Arrival in Imerina—Conquest of the
Vazimba—Increase in Imerina—Their recent
History—Ralambo and his Descendants—Impóin
and his consolidation of the
Kingdom—Radáma—State of the Country, of
Social Life and of the Sakalava Tribes in
his day—The people still a federation of
tribes—Their Institutions—Their steady
growth in Civilisation, as well as in
Religious Character

CHAPTER VII.

LAKE ITASY AND THE VOLCANIC REGION.

South Border of Imerina—Hill of PAGES
Antongona—Arivonimamo, the old 189-226
Capital—Great number of beautiful
hills—Miádana Manjáka—Lake Itasy—The
Mándridráno—Religious knowledge of the
people—The grass of Madagascar—Numerous
craters and crater-lakes—Mahatsinjo and its
people—Vinány hill—Kitsamby
river—Antoby—The Vava Vato—Norwegian
Missions—Menabe—Betafo and
Sirabe—Volcanoes—Hot springs and
Limepits—Votovorona—The East of
Ankárat—Andraráty—Our return—Western
Imerina—Ambohiveloma—The Fárahántsana:
falls of the Ikopa