Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-05-11

CQSlnS n6r GS IuC Tul0T Ol Cuo 1Slduu. The other consuls take their exequaturs from the French representatives, though the island does not belong to France, and the French are quite powerless in its domestic affairs They have consid- erable influence, however, in determin- ing the foreign policy of the country and maintain there resident general with military suit, though the Mada- gascar government refuses to recognize their right to do so.
 Madagascar is now nominally ruled by the native queen, Ranavalona III, a woman of 33 years, who succeeded to the throne in 1883 and the same year married her prime minister. The gov ernment is an absolute monarchy, in which the prime minister usually man. ages the sovereign and makes puppets of his subordinate ministers
 The prime minister who rejoices in the simple and euphonious name of Rainilaiarivony, is not of royal blood. He is a shrewd old fellow, moro than 60 years of age and very much alive. He rose to power by assassinating his predecessor Curing the reign of the pre- vious queen.
 It has always been the rule that the prime minister should be the husband of the queen. Tho former queen was married to the predecessor of the present prime minister.
 Another curious custom of the island is the compulsory duty imposed by the queen on all the foreign members of her court to render service once a month at her table. All these gentlemen carry rice and chicken to her majesty. They have the further pleasure of crawling on their knees before her once a month ill the throneroom On this occasion the queen sits on a throne and wears solid gold crown which weighs 4 E pounds.
 Few people realize the vast area of Madagascar. It is the largest island in the world, counting Australia among the continents. Its greatest length is 400 miles, with an average width of 25O miles, and the population is variously estimated at from 1000, 900 to 1,25O, 900. The general name of the inhabit- ants is Malagasy, but they are divided into at least 45 tribes. It is q popular idea that the Malagasy are negroes. As matter of fact, they are Malays.
 There are wide differences between the tribes. The most numerous are the Sakalavas, who constitute about a third of the population and are the most war like and savage of any of the island peo- pies. They are averse to civilization. They are not cannibals, but they are naturally lazy and stupid. They have a fine physique and average over 6 feet in height, but they are by far the darkest aborigines from much mixing with the slave population.
 The Hovas, the second largest tribe on the island, comprise less than a fourth of the whole population. They are much smaller than the Sakalavas, averaging only a little above 5 feet They have straight, regular features and take very kindly to civilization. They arc intelligent and quick to learn and have preserved tho strong feeling of caste that exists among the natives of India. The Hovas are the ruling tribe, all the kings and queens of Madagascar having been Hovas. The Hovas do not mix largely with the other tribes, and their dark hair is straight, long, fine and abundant. while that of the Saka- lavas is kinky, though it cannot be called woolly.
 The concession granted to MT. Waller is said to cover 225 square miles of the southern part of the island and to in clude the right to cut other valuable timber as well as the rubber tree. Mr. Waller, it will be remembered, was prominent colored Republican of Kansas City and was appointed consul at Tama- tave, the principal port of Madagascar, by President Harrison