The HOVAS proper now occupy all the northern portion of the central plateau, whether Vonizongo, Imámo or other districts. And though at one time it was usual to describe their province as Ankova, in recent days the tendency has been to drop this term altogether, and to call the entire Hova country, IMERINA. The Betsileo tribe are without doubt of the same blood as the Hovas. The Ibára tribe, who live south and west of the Betsileo, are (as I have shown) kindred to the Betsileo. Each of these sections of the central population has grown numerous, has had its separate interests, and has been at feud with its fellows. Nevertheless many similarities of language, dress, customs and manners exist between them. And the differences are no greater than those which divide them from the other tribes of the island. Politically these tribes are drawing nearer to each other under Hova rule; and these similarities will be increased and developed rather than repressed. In the important inquiry whence the Malagasy have come and with what other branches of the human race they are connected, the evidence supplied by their language is of the first importance. Naturally it might have been expected that living so near to the continent of Africa, they would be connected with the African tribes; or at least that some of their settlements would have been founded by African colonists. And among scholars there have not been wanting those who have argued warmly that they are substantially an African people. The views of the late Mr. Crawford on this point are well known. He argued that the Malagasy are substantially a negrillo race; with woolly hair, African blood and an inability to form an alphabet: that Malay pirates, blown away from the eastward, had mingled with them and left their mark upon the language; and so on. He has been followed by Mr. Wake and others in recent days. Even on theory it might have been objected that the African tribes are not navigators, and that the Mozambique channel with its strong currents and stronger south-east winds must have been, as it still is, a formidable barrier against intercourse between these tribes and Madagascar. But in point of fact there is no tribe on the island (so far as it has yet been examined) which can be shown to be substantially African, in its language, its features, its habits, its relations to its neighbours. There are pure Africans in abundance (as we shall see) scattered about in certain districts on the west, imported through the Arab slave trade. And that African element has tainted the original Malagasy race. But no original and distinct tribe on the island has yet been pointed out as long settled African colonists: much less can the entire Malagasy people be identified with such a tribe. On the contrary the three great divisions of the Malagasy hold together; embrace almost the entire island; and their language and tribal customs suggest a totally different direction as to their origin.