HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
61 
CHAR III. 
Provinces of Madagascar: their number, designations, import of the names 
of the twenty-two provinces of the island ; their boundaries, extent, and 
peculiarities—Early French settlements in Madagascar—Isle of St. Mary’s 
—Character and history of its former inhabitants—The suppression of 
piracy carried on from the island—Foule Point—Port and town of Tama- 
tave—The importance of the commerce of the island—The country of 
the Betanimena—Culture of the mulberry ; introduction of silkworms— 
Brigands; nature of their retreats in the forests and caverns of the 
interior—Peculiar insalubrity of the southern coast—Fertility and scenery 
of the celebrated vale of Ambolo—Fort Dauphin—Country in the neigh¬ 
bourhood of St. Augustine bay—Extent and peculiarities of the chief 
subdivisions—The Betsileo country—Provinces of the Salcalavas—The 
lake Imania—Barbarity of the inhabitants of Ambongo—The lake Anosy 
—Natural beauty of the province of Ankay; superstition of its inhabit¬ 
ants—The river Mangoro. 
Madagascar contains twenty-two chief or larger provinces. 
Rochon has given some account of twenty-eight, as existing 
in his time. It is probable that in some instances the minor 
divisions of a province, or even some of the principal towns, 
may have been reckoned as distinct and independent 
provinces. Most of the provinces have three or four prin¬ 
cipal divisions or districts, and these again have numerous 
subdivisions; as, for example, Ankova includes Imerina, 
Imamo, and Vonizongo, and each of these has its numerous 
smaller divisions. In other instances the natural division 
into north and south, which obtains both in the Betsileo 
and Sakalava countries, may have given the appearance of 
