the Venetian traveller does not. I must say that
I do not see any reason why Yule's theory should not be accepted.

M.G. Ferrand, formerly French Agent at Fort Dauphin, has devoted ch. ix.
(pp. 83-90) of the second part of his valuable work _Les Musulmans a
Madagascar_ (Paris, 1893), to the "Etymology of Madagascar." He believes
that M. Polo really means the great African Island. I mention from his
book that M. Guet (_Origines de l'ile Bourbon_, 1888) brings the
Carthaginians to Madagascar, and derives the name of this island from
_Madax-Aschtoret_ or _Madax-Astarte_, which signifies _Isle of Astarte_
and _Isle of Tanit_! Mr. I. Taylor (_The origin of the name_ 'Madagascar,'
in _Antananarivo Annual_, 1891) gives also some fancy etymologies; it is
needless to mention them. M. Ferrand himself thinks that very likely
Madagascar simply means _Country of the Malagash_ (Malgaches), and is only
a bad transcription of the Arabic _Madagasbar_.--H.C.]

NOTE 2.--There is, or used to be, a trade in sandal-wood from Madagascar.
(See _Owen_, II. 99.) In the map of S. Lorenzo (or Madagascar) in the
_Isole_ of Porcacchi (1576), a map evidently founded on fact, I observe
near the middle of the Island: _quivi sono boschi di sandari rossi_.

NOTE 3.--"The coast of this province" (Ivongo, the N.E. of the Island)
"abounds with whales, and during a certain period of the year Antongil Bay
is a favourite resort for whalers of all nations. The inhabitants of
Titingue are remarkably expert in spearing the whales from their slight
canoes." (_Lloyd_ in _J.R.G.S._ XX. 56.) A description of the
whale-catching process practised by the Islanders of St. Mary's, or Nusi
Ibrahim, is given in the _Quinta Pars Indiae Orientalis_ of _De Bry_, p. 9.
Owen gives a similar account (I. 170).

The word which I have rendered _Oil-heads_ is _Capdoilles_ or _Capdols_,
representing _Capidoglio_, the appropriate name still applied in Italy to
the Spermaceti whale. The _Vocab. Ital. Univ._ quotes Ariosto (VII. 36):--

--"_I_ Capidogli _co' vecchi marini
Vengon turbati dal lor pigro sonno_."

The Spermaceti-whale is described under this name by Rondeletius, but from
his cut it is clear he had not seen the animal.

NOTE 4.--De Barros, after describing the dangers of the Channel of
Mozambique, adds: "And as the Moors of this coast of Zanguebar make their
voyages in ships and sambuks sewn with coir, instead of being nailed like
ours, and thus strong enough to