VOYAGE TO MADAGASCAR. 33 



to dry la the fun, and are glazed with a de- 

 coction of rice water, called, in the Male- 

 gache language, ramu path This paper is" 

 of a yellowilh colour ; but when it is well 

 glazed, it does not imbibe the ink. The pens 

 ufed by thefe illanders are made of the 

 bamboo* 



Their ink is made from a decodion in boil* 

 ing water of the bark of a tree which they call 

 arandratQ* This ink is not quite fo black as 

 ours, but it is naturally more finning. 



The Arabic language has made fome pro- 

 grefs in the north- we fl: part of the ifland of 

 Madagafcar. It is well known that the 

 Arab princes formed large eftabliibments 

 along the African coaft, which, according 

 to geographers, correfpond with the king- 

 doms of Monomotapa and Mono-Emugi! 

 They took poiTeffion alfo of the ifland of 

 Comora; and thefe princes, \\hcn tjiey 

 emigrated to Africa and the adjacent ifles, 



B did 



