284 



THE LIVING RACES OF MANKIND 



and broad, without fulness at the end. Their lips were occasionally thick and slightly 

 projecting, though seldom large and round, but often thin, and the lower one gently projecting 

 (possibly from snuff-taking), with short curling upper lip. Their eyes are dark brown and hair 

 jet black. The style of features seems to mark the Hovas much more distinctly than colour 

 and hair." 



This description is said to be applicable to most of the Eastern and Central Malagasi, 

 except that they are darker in colour than the Hova. For example, the Betsileo, who live to 

 the south of the Hova, are described as almost black, and in other respects also approximating 

 more to the Negro type. Thus Shaw describes the Betsileo as larger, more muscular, and 

 taller, the men being on an average 6 feet high. "The forehead is low and broad, the nose 

 flatter and the lips thicker than those of their conquerors [the Hovas], whilst their hair is 

 invariably crisp and woolly. No pure Betsileo is to be met with having the smooth long hair 

 of the Hovas. In this, as in other points, there is a very clear departure from the Malayan 

 type." The Betsileo are said to be quite as skilful and industrious as the Hova, but to have 

 less powers of organisation and concerted action; for they are quarrelsome, and drunkenness is 

 very prevalent. 



The Bara, the southern tribe in the eastern belt, is one of the most primitive races in 

 Madagascar. Richardson's description of the tribe is worth quoting, as the Bara have been less 

 altered by foreign and European influences during the past three centuries than the Hova: 

 "Among the Bara the hair is done up into knobs of fat, wax, and whitening, numbering from 



ten to one hundred and twenty; and on 

 the crown is a chignon of the same 

 materials, about the size of or larger 

 than a cricket-ball; each knob is im- 

 pacted against the other, and all have 

 the ring of a hard wax ball. On his 

 forehead or temples he carries his large 

 charm or round shell, about the size of 

 a crown-piece, called a felana. Round 

 his neck he carries a number of beads 

 of various sizes and a few small wooden 

 charms. In his ears he will have rings 

 or pieces of wood, sometimes sticking 

 in the lobe of the ear, and sometimes 

 hanging down like ear-drops. Hanging 

 round his neck, and resting on his breast, 

 he carries a circular charm about 6 inches 

 long, covered with innumerable small 

 beads, with two or more long ones at the 

 end. The stock of his gun, a flint-lock, 

 obtained from the traders on the coast, 

 is covered with brass-headed nails, varying 

 in number from forty to two hundred 

 and twenty. His spear-heads for he 

 generally carries two or more are very 

 bright and well tempered; and in the 

 shaft, or where the shaft is inserted in 

 the head, rings of brass are worked in. 

 His belt and powder-horn, his cartridge- 

 box and tinder-flask, are decorated with 



Photo by E. Wirtfi] 



A GRIQUA FAMILY. 



[Kokslad. 



brass-headed nails, each one the size of 

 a shilling. Hanging from the shoulder, 





