Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 4.djvu/543

 THE BETSILEO AND BARA TRIBES. 445 The Betsileo, Bara, and NEioiiBorRiNo Tribes. The Betsilco, that is to say " Invincible," who dwell to the number of about three hundred thousand in the mountainous region bordering northwards on Imerinu, no longer deserve this national designation. They are at present, for the most part, peueeful agriculturists, amongst whom the black seems greatly to prevail over the Malay element. According to Sibree they are the tallest of all the Malagasy people, with average stature about six feet. Their neighbours the Baras, that is " Barbarians," who occupy the plateau further south, are in appearance more like the Sakalava people, and like them also have partly preserved their political independence. The section of the nation who have taken refuge on the banks of the lake which floods the highest depression on Mount Ivohibe, are able from that vantage-ground to defy the attempts of their assailants. Farther south, the Ant' Androi, who occupy the southern extremity of Madagascar, are also still unreduced. Like their western neighbours, the Mahafali, they keep careful I3' aloof from all strangers, and these two tribes are regarded as the rudest of all the Malagasy peoples. The Ant' Anossi, or " People of the Islands," or " Coastlands," with whom the early French settlers at Saint-Lucia and Fort Dauphin first came in contact, and whom they oppressed so cruelly, are now subject to the Hova loJe. The Ant' Aisaka tribe, which follows northward on the east side of the island, closely resembles the Sakalavas, and has probably been crossed by the same Negro elements. The tribal name means " Hand Fishers," in allusion to their former primitive way of capturing fif>h. Conteiminous with them, still going northwards, are the Ant' Aimoro, or " Moors," another coast people on the east side, who claim to be descended from the Arabs of Mecca. In support of this claim they show some ancient documents written in Arabic characters, which, however, cannot explain awj y the unmistakable evidence of intermixture. Above the Ant' Aimoro and Ant' Ambaboaka peoples the wooded upland valley:* are occupied by the Ant' Anala or " Forest People,'* who have for the most part been able to maintain their independence, thanks to the inaccessible position of the natural fastnesses where they have their camping-grounds. One of the>>e' strong- holds. Mount Ikiongo or Ikongo, which towers 1,600 feet above the surrounding lands, presents even more precipitous flanks than Ivohibe. It terminates in almost sheer rocky walls on all sides, except at one point scaled by a narrow path which might be easily defended by a handful of resolute men. Guard-houses or watch- towers have been erected at intervals round about the crest of the mountain ; while five hamlets, surrounded by fields and limpid brooks, are scattered over the upper plateau, which is eight miles long by four broad. The independent branch of the Ant' Anala tribe, who in time of war take refuge on the Ikongo heights, are commonly designated by the name of the mountain itself. Throughout the whole of the south-eastern part of Madagascar the populations