62 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
a greater number of independent provinces than actually 
existed. 
The following are the provinces into which Madagascar 
is at present divided. 
1. Vohimarina, 
2. Maroa, 
3. Ivongo, 
4. Mahavelona, 
5. Tamatave, 
6. Betanimena, 
7. Anteva, 
8. Matitanana, 
9. Vangaidrano, 
10. Anosy, 
11. Androy, 
12. Isienimbalala, 
13. Ibara, 
14. Betsileo, 
15. Menabe, 
16. Ambongo, 
17. Iboina, 
18. Antsianaka, 
19. Ankay, 
20. Ankova, 
21. Mahafaly, 
22. Fiarenana. 
Having given a general description of the whole island, 
it will not, perhaps, be deemed wholly incompatible with 
the avowed design of the present work, which relates 
principally to the interior of Madagascar, to offer a brief 
sketch of its several provinces. Some of the circumstances 
introduced, in reference to a few of the provinces, are 
derived from the accounts of those who have previously 
written on Madagascar; the others are stated as the 
result of information which the Missionaries themselves 
obtained from various quarters in the island; and the whole 
may be regarded as presenting, if not a perfect exhibition 
of the existing state of the island, yet, certainly, such a 
view of it as is considered correct by the best informed 
natives at the Capital: it is what Madagascar is at Tana- 
narivo believed to be, and such as eye-witnesses for the most 
part have described it. 
