Madagascar

Sources from old books

1638. The merchants mappe of commerce wherein by Lewes Roberts.

Of the Iland Madagascar. I find belonging to Africa many Ilands, which are found to afford many notable commodities for Merchandise, which for brevities sake I will onely touch, that the Factor may know whence those commodities doe come which are found amongst us. Madagascar, otherwise called the Iland St. Lawrence, giving name to a Towne the principall of that Iland was discovered by the Portugals, Anno 1506: the Inhabitants willingly permit no man •…o land upon their Countrey for traffique sake; it yeeldeth cloves, ginger, and some silver, to the Inhabitants owne use; but not for exportation, and their monies in use are the glasse beades of Cambaia, which in Merchandize and barter currantly passe amongst them.

1685. Geographia universalis: the present state of the whole world by Pierre Duval.

THe Isle Madagascar, in the Eastern, which we call the Indian Sea, is the greatest of the Islands that are attributed to Africa. It is distant from it a hundred or a hundred and twenty Leagues, and there is hardly an Island in the World of so vast an extent. 'Tis in length above a thousand English Miles, and near three hundred in breadth. The Natives of the Countrey call it, Madecase; the Portuguese, St. Lawrence; and the French, the Isle Dauphine: The Ancients call'd it Menuthias, and the Kernel of Aethiopia. According to our Relations, the Air is temperate, the Soil proper for all manner of Grains and Trees, Rice, Skins, Wax, Gums, Cristals, Steels, Copper, Ebony, and Woods of several sorts, are transported from thence. The Inhabitants consist both of Whites and Blacks, who are almost all Idolaters, there being very few Mahometans among 'em.

The Portugals, English, and Hollanders, have sometimes touch'd there: the Portugals, in the Ance of Galion; the English, in the Bay of St. Augustin; and the Hollanders, in that of Antongil. The French, since they have built the Fort Dauphin, have made pretty exact Discoveries of all the Eastern and Southern Coast of the Island.

The Isle of Bourbon, called formerly Mascharenhe, five and twenty Leagues in length, and fourteen in breadth, is in possession of the French. It has a Vulcano, that is to say, a Mountain that spits and casts forth fire; the rest of its Land is by much the best and finest Countrey in the World; the Waters are very healthful, and it has most of the Commodities, that are in the Isle of Madagascar.

1693. A geographical dictionary representing the present and ancient names by Edmund Bohun.

Madagascar, Cerne, Menuthias, Madagascaria, Delphina, a vast Island on the Eastern Coast of Africa; called by the Inhabitants, Madecase; by the French, l' Isle de Dauphiné; by the Portuguese, S. Lorenzo; by the English, Madagascar and S. Laurence; by the Arabians, Sarandib. Ptolemy calls it Menuthias; Pliny, Cerne Aethiopica. It is near one hundred Miles from the Coast of Africa to the East; and one of the greatest Islands in the World; extentending from 1 to 25 deg. of Southern Latitude; but its breadth much less; as not exceeding one hundred and thirty English Miles. Discovered by the Portuguese in 1506. on S. Laurence's day. There was no Cities in it: the French have of late settled some Colonies on the Southern Shoars. Stephen Flacourt, a Frenchman, has given a large account of this Island. The Inhabitants are large of Stature, exceeding black, Warlike, much addicted to Fishing, great Eaters: Nature has accordingly provided them with plenty of Cattle, Fish, Fowl, Fruits, and what ever is necessary for the life of Man; which they use without Labour or Care, regarding neither Silver nor Gold, nor any thing but Beads and Bracelets for Ornament, Musick and Dancing for their Recreation. And the utmost Number they can tell, is Ten. Herbert. 'Tis also related, there is a mixture of Whites amongst them, who being circumcised, and using the Names of Moses, Aaron, Esther and the like, may be thought to descend from the transmigrations of some of the ten lost Tribes of the Jews. About two hundred years ago, the Caliph of Meccha dispatched a Mission of Arabians hither, to teach Arabick and the Alcaron; which altogether missed not of its effect. The Northern Provinces are yet unknown to the Europeans. As for Capes, Ports and Roads, Rivers, and fruitful Mountains, Mines of Iron and Steel, Precious Stones and Woods, Madagascar hath them. But no Mines of Brass, Tin, Lead, Silver or Gold: And the Natives are divided into divers Herds and Tribes, under a Chief, like the Tartars.