^OYAGE TO MADAGASCAR. 



ing delivered this fpeecb, he immediately 

 ** betook hi Qifelf to flight, without waiting 

 ** for the governor's anfwer, and was never 



afterwards feen at the Cape*-** 



Such examples are not uncommon : I 

 could mention feveral of the fame kind 

 among the Madecafles, 



The inhabitants of Madagafcar are di- 

 vided into a great number of tribes. It is 

 fuppofed that the population of this ifland 

 may amount to four millions. This evalu- 

 atioUj however, is hj far too great ; and it 

 is impoflible to afcertain the truth on this 

 point, in the prefcnt ftate of the ifland, 

 which h divided into a great number of fo- 

 cieties, all diftind one from the other ; each 

 fociety inhabits that canton which it finds 

 moft convenient, and governs itfelf accord- 

 ing to its own ufages. A tribe is compofed 

 pf feveral villages, who have all a particular 



* HiJImre dei Voyages j torn. v. 



4 chie£ 



