64 
MADAGASCAR 
rule, but the lips are regular, at any rate they do not 
protrude like those of the negro; the chin is generally 
round. 
The hair is not especially luxuriant, the beard is sparse, 
the hair of the head black, either straight or curly, but 
never actually woolly. The trunk appears relatively 
short, the chest is frequently strongly developed. The 
colour of the skin is subject to much variation, individuals 
of dark colour being found side by side with fair ones. 
Striking touches of European physiognomy are found 
among the men, while among the women the character 
of the Malayan race is more strongly pronounced, and 
in many cases there is even a decided obliquity in th 
position of the eyes, which gives to the Hova women a 
certain resemblance to the Chinese. Without being 
exactly beautiful they present to us interesting, lithe anc. 
graceful forms, and treat their European guests with 
much grace. In later life they frequently incline to 
obesity. 
The well-to-do Hova have adopted European costume 
for both sexes, and it is only the poor who dress in 
Malagasy fashion, that is with a simple loin-cloth and a 
rude jacket of palm leaves, over which a cotton overall 
(lamba) is thrown as a protection against cold and rain. 
Reports as to the character of the Hova are extra¬ 
ordinarily contradictory, but must be received with cau¬ 
tion, as their country has been much infested by Europ¬ 
ean adventurers, and the Hova have thus been made 
very suspicious of foreigners. Alfred Grandidier, a thor¬ 
oughly trustworthy inquirer, draws the following picture 
of their character, a perfectly accurate one according to 
my own experience: “ The people are of a suspicious 
temper, but they are worthy of our attention. The Hova 
are temperate, and persevering in their work. They have 
an innate feeling of reverence for their superiors, are 
very amenable to discipline, and are absolutely devoted 
