THE ETHNOLOGY OF THi: INDIAN ARCH IP EL A CIO. 75 



dominion over the native tribes, and imposed their language upon 

 them.* There are so many obvious and conclusive objections to this 

 theory tbat it is difficult to find a single argument in its support. 

 I will note a few of the positions which I will establish in a future 

 paper. The northern portion of Madagascar is within the limit 

 of the roonsoone, and the southern inclose on, and connected f>v a 

 N. B. wind with, that of the westerly winds that prevail to the 

 south of the Trade Wind- The zone of the latter ia not invariably 

 and exclusively possessed by it as was formerly believed. The notion 

 of the impossibility of Madagascar prows being blown eastward 

 has a similar foundation to that, now exploded, of the impossibility 

 of Indonesian prows reaching Polynesia. Every point on Mads* 

 gascar and the east coast or Africa generally, is subtended br an 

 eastern line of land, partly insular and partly continental, st retching 

 70 from the Indus to Van Dieinan'e Land and New Zealand. Any 

 African or Madagascar boats that were carried acrr - the Indian 

 Ocean would be certain to touch land at some point along or within 

 this line, Negroes arc still found along GO of it, or from tho 

 Andaman* to Van Dieroan'a Land and even to New Zealand, — that 

 is the negro range is greater on the A fliflnesian than it is on the A friean 

 side of the Indian Ocean, The sea board native of Madagascar, like 

 those of East Africa generally, are bold sailors and manage their boats 

 as expertly as the Polynesians. The SakHlavos were in the habit of 

 mnkinrr piratical voyages in fleets to the Comoros and the coast of 

 Africa. Before the Arabs be< ame a maritime power, the native 

 coasting navigation and trade of Eastern Africa and iMadagnsearmust 

 have been great in proportion to its freedom, and the Insular 

 Malgasis probably took a prominent part in it. It is probable 

 or certain that Indonesian as well as Indian boats have from lime 

 to time been driven on the coast of East Madagascar (as on that of 

 Africa), but their crews could not have introduced their languages, 

 unless the island had been without native tril>es. But it is notorious 

 that the Hovas are only one of a number ,of tribes occupying 

 different parts of a mountainous region considerably larger than 

 Sumatra. The obvious African character of the other tribes has 

 obliged the supporters of the hypothesis in question k> admit that 

 the? arc either aborigines, or were in possession of the island before 

 the* Indonesian colony came. The Hovas were a small tribe of 

 little* comparative importance until they were forced *by the 

 superior power and numbers of their enemies to take refuge 

 in the sterile, elevated, and difficultly accessible table land of 

 the interior. Although necessity and probably the colder climate 

 here excited their energy, they were always a secondary power to 

 the Sukalavos, until the time of Radama, and since the death of 

 that extraordinary man the Sakalavas have gradually been 

 recovering their independence and ancient predominance. It is 

 • Humboldt's Kawi Spraebeand PrtehanT* Researches. 



