Sun River sun., 1884-12-11
BEAUTIES OF MADAGASCAR.
A Navy Lieutenant Tells the Story Of
His Journey Across that island.

ANeNSf VIM itNtbtlv SlosScu NiNtUSUS-
car. from east to west, accomplishing
what few white men and no American
had done before, told u large audience
at Chickering Hall last night some
thing about the island and his explor-
ations there. The lecture was given
under the auspices Of the American
Geographical Society, and was illus
tratcd with stercoscopic views.
"Managascar," ho said, sis the third
largess Island on the globe. Its area
covers 100000 square miles. being
100 miles long and averaging in
breadth 230 to 400 miles. II is four
times The size of Great Britain. The
interior gives tho observer II potent
sense of silent aud majestic vastness.
Ii exhibits some Of the grandcst speci-
mems of natures handiwork, consist
ing of mountain peaks, plains and
forests, cataracts and waterfalls.
Around the seacoast stretches Il dense
belt of tropical forest, the home of
malaria and deadly fever: the abiding
place Of savage and barbarous people
and Of richly-plumagcd birds. The
chief river, the Sizebouge, is the size
Of the Ohio, and shows some of the
mcst magnificent river scenery in the
world, thunGerous waterfalls and cat
aracts bordercd by primeval forests"
The speaker said that he thought
this river would prove navigablc, and
might be made the highway for the
products OF The interior, ebony. sugar,
rice and other articles Of commerce,
in quantities sufficient to make it '.thc
El Dorado of the Eastern seas" The
climate is described us variable. In
the interior it is cquable and temper
ate, frequently reminding one of II
Now England autumn, but about the
scacoast it is always warm and un-
wholesome. Hc estimated the popu-
lation al 5,700,000, embracing many
races Of men, varying in color. phys
ique and civilization. The principal
tribe, The Hovas, are men of Malay
origin, with fair complexion, black
and sparkling eyes, aquilinc noses,
numbering about 100000, and are far
in advance of the rest OF the inhabi-
tants in intelligence and the arts of
civilization. Tho women are often
handsome. Some Of these advantages
can be attributed TO climate, the re-
sion inhabited by them averaging
A,55O feet above the sea level, and af-
forcling u bracing atmosphere. Next
in importance and intelligence he
plnced the Bctsi!eo tribe, tho men pos
scssing liihc and active frames, but
the women, unlike the Hoya women,
are seldom or never handsome. The
Barra people, in the southern part Of
the island, are distinguished by their
utter lack OF cnnoblins qualities.
The morality OF the Barru, said Lieut..
Shufeldt. might thus be summed up:
Give mo my gun and my spear my
rum and my wives and my oxen, let
me steal, p!nndcr and destroy every
body; let nobody modest mo and l
care not who is my king
Lieut.. Shufcldt then described his
journey across Madagascar. After
many sicissitudcs and by dint of much
perseverance he made II landing ut a
town On the southeastern side of the
island on April 8, this year, and soon
af'er begun his journey across The is
land. lie reached ihc capital without
oncouitering many dangers. There
he was presented 10 the Qnccn, whom
he thus describes: '''3ile is a young
woman Of medium height, OF 1.-THE fig
nrn ana graceful movements and dis
linsui.Ded by 'aajestic bearing,
,hough sl'li,h in appearance. She
Aaa dark waviaG hair, light complex
ion, #41 b'och lu-trous eyes. She
,4ya.e., III modern iaIisian female
costume. Her husband is the Frme
Minister, and is sixty nine years old"
According to royal custom, she never
left the palace without a large rotinuc
and much ceremony. When royal
property was carried through the
streets the people were expected to
kcop themselves within thor homes.
Ii anybody WAS met in Tie street who
had no time to run to his house, he
had to prostratc himself On the ground
until Tie Queens goods had pissed
" hen Lieut.. Shufeldt was presented
to the Queen she was seated at the
top of Il throne with thirty stops. On
the first step, on one knee, with hand
extended toward the young Queen,
was her husband, the Prime Minister
a dark complexioned, gray haired
man. She was dressed in Il Ii hit pink
satin dress, and On her head wore Il
gold crown studded with diamonds.
1 bowed on being presented to her.