Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 4.djvu/538

 440 SOUTH AND EAST AFRICA. thirteenth century an Arab writer speaks of the inlanders as " brothers of the Chinese," and gives the name of " Malay " to one of their cities, and in the follow- ing century ullusion is made to the same city by the historian Edrisi. No authentic historical records can be appealed to in support of the various views entcrtuine<l on the subject of the period when ihe first immigrants reached the island and on the particular region whence they came. It is no longer possible to say with confidence what precise route they followed, although it would be difficult to suggest any other probable highway besides that of the marine currents, which, under the action of the trade winds, set regularly in the direction from north-east to south-west across the Indian Ocean. These currents, which in the year I880 brought all the way from Java the pumice ejected by the tremendous eruption of Krakatau in August, 1883, may also have easily enabled the native praus or light craft to reach Madagascar from the Sunda Islands. Such distant expeditions were even in remote times made by the Malay chiefs in the Eastern Archipelago, so that they were fully justified in assuming the proud title of "masters of the eastern and western winds and waters."* Possjibly the Chagos coralline archipelago, which, according to Darwin, has subsided in comparatively recent times, may formerly have served as a convenient station between the two regions. But in order to adapt themselves to their new Kurroundings, the immigrants from the east had to change their manner of life, and it thus happened that these roving seafarers gradually became settled tillers of the land in the great island. Penetrating inland from the malarious districts round the coast, they traversed the low-lying forest belt and climbed the slopes of the central plateau, where their descendants still hold their ground. The "silver canoe"— that is, the tomb in which the sovereign of the Ilova nation is always buried — recalls the time when the dead were really interred in a boat, as is still the custom amongst the Betsiraisarakas of the east coast, as well as amongst numerous Malayan communiiies.t So long have the Ilovas bsen settled on the elevated table- lands of the interior that they are no more able than Europeans themselves to endure the deadly climate of the coastlands. Leprosy and other ctitaneous diseases are prevalent amongst them. Viewed as a whole, Madagascar presents a considerable mixture of diverse jxjpulations, none of which have preserved the primitive types in an absolutely pure state. In some of the insular groups, notably those of the west coast, the Negro element is predominant, and here are met many individuals differing little from the true African, with robust frames, black or deep brown complexion, flat features, and crisp or woolly hair. In the central provinces most of the tribes approach the ordinary Malay type, being distinguished by a coppery colour, black lank hair, and beautiful white teeth. At the two opposite extremities of the island, that is to say, on the north-west and south-east sides, occurs the so-called "white," that is, the Arab type. According to Grandidier, the Indians of Malabar have also left numerous traces of their residence on the west coast, where several families • Cook, A Voyage to the Paeiflc. t Bev. Jiuoett Sibree, Antananarivo Annual, 1887. •