THE ARAB IMMIGRATION INTO SOUTH-EAST MADAGASCAR. 345 
The river mouth of the Matitanana is fairly wide and deep, 
and large boats could, it is believed, be worked through into 
the quict water of the river, which is here like a large lake ; 
but it is fady for any boat to enter. Foreigners would, if 
they dared, disregard this fady, only that as they are 
dependent upon the natives here for labour, the latter would 
no doubt take no care of the boat in entering the passage ; 
and then, if any accident occurred, they ~ would simply 
disclaim all responsibility. The br eaking of the fady would, 
in their minds, account for any mishap, and be a just 
retribution upon the venturesome e foreigner in not regarding 
with reverence, equal to their own, the taboo of the tribe. 
The climate of the Taimoro province is hot and damp, the 
average monthly maximum temperature in the shade of a 
Stevensen screen being 87°, with an absolute maximum of 
102°, and a direct sun-light register of 164°; the average 
monthly minimum of the temperature at night for the year 
being 65°. There can scarcely be said to be a rainy and dry 
season, except in the sense that heavy thunderstorms are 
confined to that part of the year corresponding with the 
rainy season in the interior, from November to April, and 
that during those months the heaviest rainfall is registered. 
In February and March the greatest amount of rainfall is 
registered, amounting in some years from 20 to 24 inches. 
The annual total rainfall gives over 100 inches. This, with 
a large preponderance of north-easterly winds, which are 
warm, and blow along the coast over the lagoons and 
swamps, render the district very unhealthy both for 
foreigners and for natives who come from other parts of the 
country. The flat nature of the country helps the evil, as 
large swamps, beside the well-known lagoons, exist all along 
the cvast, and in many parts entirely surround the towns. 
These make fertile rice-plantations, but are hotbeds for the 
rapid generation of malarial fever, which often assumes a 
very virulent form on this part of the coast. 
Notwithstandmg this, the native population is large, 
indeed it may be said to ‘be dense for Madagascar. I know 
of no other spot, outside the plain immediately surrounding 
Antananarivo, where there is a larger population than in the 
‘laimoro valley s. The villages are not only near together, 
but are above the average in number of houses ; while the 
families of the Taimoro are larger than those of the majority 
of Malagasy. ‘This doubtless arises from the higher state of 
morality existing among these people even before Christianity 
