ISLAND OF MADAGASCAR. 
Since many persons have desir'd to hear an Account of isle o/Ma- 
the Observations which have been made concerning the dagascar ' 
Island of Madagascar & the peculiarities of it, both of the 
aborigines of the Island & of their manners. I proceed to 
insert here some that I wrote by the way. 
This island is nam’d by the Natives Malagache, & in 
French, Madagascar. The Portuguese call it the Isle 
Saint Laurens , because they discover’d it on the day of 
the Festival of Saint Laurence: it is nam’d at present by 
the French the Isle Dauphine , & the principal settlement 
where they live is the Fort Dauphin. 
Fort Dauphin is situated at 25 degrees of latitude 
South of the Equinoctial line. 
This Island is the largest Island of the world of which 
there is any knowledge at present, it has more than 800 
leagues of circumference. 
The air of the land is not very healthy for Europeans. 
The soil is pretty good for cultivation. 
There’s a quantity of Oxen & other cattle. 
The Island is divided in Provinces , in each of which 
there is one or more Chiefs , that is to say Sovereigns; 
they are altogether absolute over their People. There are 
some of these Chiefs who are much more powerful than 
others, both in Subjects and riches ; their riches generally 
consist of Cattle. 
I find it convenient to report here a journey which the 
Sieur Desbrosses, a settler of the Island, made to the 
residence of one nam’d la Hayfouchy , Chief of the Province 
D 
