THE 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
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CHAP. L 
Introductory Description of the Island—its Discovery — 
Extent—Geographical Situation—and general Fea¬ 
tures. 
The Island of Madagascar is one of the largest 
in the world, being nine hundred miles long from 
north to south, and three hundred broad, in its widest 
part from east to west. It was first discovered by 
Europeans in the year 1506*, when Lawrence Al¬ 
meida, son of the first Portuguese Viceroy sent to 
the East Indies, touched at it. It does not appear 
to have been noticed at all by Vasco de Gama, who 
first opened the passage to India, which is rather re¬ 
markable, and can only be accounted for from his 
having kept close to the African shore, both going and 
returning. Its name, in the language of the country, 
is indistinctly pronounced Madecasse, or Malegash. 
The Portuguese called it Isle of St. Lawrence; 
b 
