no INDIAN AND AFRICAN ELEMENTS. 



a great extent from the native population, and do not inter- 

 marry much with them, except they can get hold of an 

 heiress or a woman of high rank. Then there is an Indian 

 element, there being a considerable number of Banyan 

 traders from Kutch and Bombay at some of the large towns 

 on the north-west coast, so that Indian dress, ornaments, 

 utensils, music, and customs meet one at every turn in these 

 places. And as both Arabs and Indians are Mohammedans, 

 the towns of Marovoay, Mojanga, Mdrontsanga, and some of 

 the islands, are much more like Arab or Hindoo places than 

 Malagasy ones. The houses in these places are of stone, 

 with flat roofs and deep shady recesses ; there are mosques 

 for worship, and the cry of the muezzin is heard at the 

 appointed times of the day for Mohammedan prayers. 



Then there is an African element, derived from the 

 numbers of slaves from the mainland who have been brought 

 into the country from time immemorial by the Arab slaving 

 dhows. The emancipation of the African slaves two years 

 ago by the Hova government will doubtless do much to stop 

 this traffic, although, from the character of the north-west 

 coast of Madagascar, — full of bays and inlets, where a dhow 

 can easily evade the English cruisers, — it will probably go 

 on to some extent wherever the Hova authority is slight. 

 According to Sir Bartle Frere and other authorities, hundreds 

 of slaves were, until a short time ago, brought into the 

 country every year. This infusion from the neighbouring 

 continent has doubtless had some effect on the language of 

 the western tribes, and probably added a darker strain to 

 their colour. 



Having now looked at the foreign influences which have 

 been at work in various parts of Madagascar to modify the 

 original Malagasy stock, something may be said about the 

 chief differences to be remarked among the various tribes as 

 regards colour and physique. 



Every traveller in Madagascar is aware that there are 

 very considerable differences in the colour, outline (as viewed 

 in front) and profile of the face, and stature of the people he 

 meets with in passing through the country. He finds almost 

 every shade of colour, from a very light olive, not darker 



