130 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
viour, their attachment to the peaceful labours of agricul¬ 
ture, want of that energy, enterprise, and cunning which 
have made the Hovas sovereigns of a large portion of the 
island, as well as in many of their manners and customs, 
they appear to be a different people, and seem to possess 
few, if any, traits of character which could have originated, 
or have justified the assumption of the name by which they 
are now distinguished. 
The Betanimena and Betsimisaraka, already stated to 
be evidently but one people, constitute the next distinct and 
numerous portion of the inhabitants of Madagascar, differing 
in many respects from the Betsileo, as much as the latter 
do from their western neighbours the Sakalavas. 
In stature, the Betanimena and Betsimisaraka resemble 
the Hovas, and, though in complexion rather darker, are, 
next to them, the fairest race in the island: their hair is 
generally frizzly, though not always black; their move- 
ments are less active than those of the inhabitants of the 
centre and western parts of the island; and though their 
limbs are strong and muscular, they exhibit only occa¬ 
sionally the bold and martial courage of the Sakalavas, or 
the enterprise, consciousness of power, and industry of the 
Hovas; though peculiarly distinguished by cleanliness in 
their houses and apparel, they seem, with comparatively 
few exceptions, to be degraded in morals below most of 
their countrymen, and are often the subjects of apathy and 
indolence in equal extremes. They are, however, in some 
respects an interesting people. 
The inhabitants of the Isle of St. Mary’s call themselves 
the descendants of Abraham—a designation most probably 
brought by some of the numerous pirates who, since the 
discovery of the island, have settled on its borders, and, 
intermarrying with the aborigines, have ultimately mingled 
