New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-04
MADAGASCAR.
ASPECT OF THE IsLAND-THE PEOPLE AND
THEIR CUSTOMS.

II. A,
On my recent voyage from England to the Cape
of Good Hope MET DR.. G. r. Parker. a gentleman
who has been engaged by the London Missionary
Society a surgeon missionary on the Island OF
MAZDA gascar for some eight years past, and is now
| on leave for the benefit of his health, which has
been considerably impaired by the climate there
Finding that the doctor had been favored by
his position and knowledge of the Malagasy
language as few sojOurners in that wonderful but
little known island have been, / made point
of talking at length with HIM upon the subject
For some time he had acted as medical adviser to
the Queen ri Madagascar and in that capacity had
an excellent opportunity to study affairs behind as
we'll as before the scenes. His conversation was
full of interest. abounding az it did in anecdotes
which illustrated the singular bent of the peoples
superstitions, their home life and their political
groupings.
Their fcrveut belief in good and bad spirits which
are ALWAYS about them with mtents accord
ine to their nature, renders thom the
dupcs of prepOstcrous fatallsm' ana
they attribute whatever good they do. or that ne
fails Them to the direct influence OF the benign
spirits while all evil either of action or eVentuaHiy
is az conveniently ascribed to the banciul ghosts
These various spirits arise from, or come out o. tue
bodies of their dead friends Therefore Wheh
brother sister OF other relative or friend dies, they
employ all thor arts to propitiate the ghost ana
render it's mnstrations bcnclcrnt. This Is ac-
compl shed by certain ceremonies and attentions 10
the body of tho deceased and the superstition
probably originated at an carly period when lh'y
were accustomed to treat tho dead with very ltIe
consideration. They believe also that any person
whom they nave "ronPe' o''''I "','i' 'i' ,,.l
about them i'm the spirit. and woIk SAD hiF"c "i"n
''o"' am, '''.,' ""'-'' -. o,,,, ~ he =
-''-'I u" ".,'i .'.'I t..,.oar,,,.o with
P'"'''"' '"''"u,' ~ J'.'''' ''''' ,c .,,oso
ONO ""''' 10 i"' ..,.,.,,,. ,;,... r,.o
E""''S WI" nave y" lii''" WV '
'' " 'I's9 "' NE" WI" '''"' '' d., and
potent charm Tot 'oinu'''nE ''''' '''''
thc so"iHSay'r ANA mag ''''' 'l' "' I'''"''
hig3Iy esteemed hy the Aoa-''N" "' P''S
| ia auc'nt days among 'i' F'"N""'' Va 49,
They ar" as interfering "'eio'''I my '.'
ioG- 20, more civilized priests who nave Ae'' -'''T
Jar power over their victims ANA "up''' """ P''
la'o TIRE most priva," affair, of their iiock7.
Yet, the experience of the devoted missionaries
who have laborcd among these tribes, proves pe-
yond doubt that n great majority OF tHcm are
o. pablo Of and longing ior better clVu']i'"h' il
the lioya Government is allowed 10 Hollow I'7 l.''
,ut course, le rniug from Lurop" hnt uiu"'esl'"'S
European arms, ~ will soon hold ihr th''I' l''''
as one ualied kingdom, and pat itin the "'y t"' en-
lightcncd enterprise and commerce ~ Ah'r-
cans haze long been attracted 10 MS p'i'-' many
know already something of ls products, hht "hfh
suitable, and communication with the interior Is
made more easy there - no "od"t that Almost P'"'
table traffic with the siahd VIII o' '"'i''" '"' ~
which Americans Will mutually take an active part
Madagascar s 900 miles long, from N"p' ANU
On th. nor u 20 Cape st. Mary on thc south, aud
about $50 miles wide ut the broadest part
IT. east coast is nearly straight line, while It's
west coast ha, been followed ont N many places
bv tho action of the currents that sweep down the
Mozambiquc Channel.
There are az present no regular lines OF steamers
or vessels running To- the island ana the u9ua
! route, for reaching 1t are by Iah|nAt an" ""uIE
u.. The former - preferred by those 40 WIS" w
lud 20 this seaport of Majauga, and thence 70 MAKE
the Journey souh"ard To th' ''n'r", P''e"" VI '"'
! island, in which the lldya capital l"E"H1'I'''
D. situated. Ibis route subjects the traN'HeI u" ''
dreadful heat of the Red Sea nnieSS tHr voyage ~
made IN winter, and by taking il he viii arrive al
! tire hottest part of Inc madagascar COAST, WIN an
overland journey OF thrr" weeks before MN il ne
contcmplptcs q visit To the liovd capital Ih' c'itI
| and largest city on the island The ronte by Maui
ritius ~ generally preferred, because there are rig
mar line, of steamers touch ng there both English
| and French. and either 10y the Red Sea or
| around the Capc. While the Sc" pas -
| thence to Madagascar only takes three Jays
| and tho Journey mp 10 lahnar''o
only one week Another advantage IL that the east
| coast aud Doc hatbor Of Iamataye are always mucA
cooler and more pleasant than the west and north
western coasts.
/ The population of the entire island ~ now eS''-
mated AZ ranging nom l.0'OUOO 10 i''o0'ooo
souls, but this is point on which nothing certain
can be stated, owing 10 the complete barban~m 81
many Of the tribes. the frequency Of opidemc'' IN
! tcrtriha wars, murder, Inianticide, and other
causes which render ANY estimat" OF the population
| liable 10 great inaccuracy No census has yet 0een
| taken by tho Government OF any OF the ulUrS ~