COMORES or Comoro Islands, a group in the Mozambique Channel, between Madagascar and Cape Delgado, on the east coast of Africa, discovered by Houtman in 1598, and consisting of the four main islands of Angaziya, Angazecha, or Great Comoro, Anzuan or Johanna, Mohilla, and Mayotta, and a considerable number of diminutive islets. 1. Comoro, the largest, has a length of about thirty-five miles, with a width of about twelve, and a population of 35,000. Near its southern extremity it rises into a fine dome-shaped mountain, wdιich has a height of upwards of 8500 feet, and is visible for more than 100 miles. Eruptions are recorded for the years 1830, 1855, and 1858; and traces of the last of these commotions are still very distinct. The island is politically divided into various petty principalities, and maintains its own petty feuds. The natives are tall of stature and well-formed, and appear to be mainly of Arabic descent, with a mixture of Malagasy blood. The chief towns are Maroni, Itzanda, and Mouchamouli; the first, situated at the head of a bay in 11° 40' 44 ’ ' S. lat,, being the seat of the principal sultan in the island. 2. Johanna, next in size, rises in a succession of richly wooded heights till it culminates in a central peak, upwards of 5000 feet above the sea, in 12° 14' 17" S. ]at. and 44 c 27' 34" E. long. The whole island is under one sultan, who resides at the town of Johanna on the north side. The natives are hospitable to foreigners, and especially to Englishmen. Domestic slavery exists, but of a very mild description. The capital, which is sometimes called Moussamondou, is substantially built of stone, surrounded by a wall, and commanded by a dilapidated citadel; it is the seat of an English consul, and carries on a considerable trade in supplying ...ships with provisions. There is a small but safe anchorage at Pomony. where coal is kept for H.M. ships in the Mozambique Channel. The population amounts to about 12,000. 3. Mayotta, about 21 miles long by 6 or 7 miles in breadth, is surrounded by an extensive and dangerous coral-reef. The principal heights on its extremely irregular surface are Mavegani Mountain, which rises in two peaks to a maximum of 2164 feet, and Uchongin, which only falls below it by about 60 feet. The island belongs to the French since 1843, and they have established a small military and naval colony on the contiguous islet of Zaudzi, which lies within the reef in 12° 46' 48" S. lat.
and 45° 20' 14" E. long. There are substantial Government buildings and store-houses; the garrison numbers about 100 soldiers; and a number of sugar estates have been formed, especially on the eastern side of the island. Before the French acquisition Mayotta was subject to Dansulu, king of the Sacalavas, who had been expelled from the north-west coast of Madagascar by the conquests of Radama, king of the Ovahs. Population, 12,000. 4. MohUla i the smallest, is 15 miles in length, and 7 or 8 miles at its maximum breadth, with a population of 6000. Unlike the other three it has no peaks, but rises gradually to a central ridge about 1900 feet in height. It is governed by an independent sovereign resident at Douany, a walled town close to the coast, in 12° 17' S. lat. and 43° 46' E. long. The most important town besides the capital is Numa-Choa,
All the islands possess a very fertile soil; they produce cocoa-nuts, rice, maize, sweet-potatoes, yams, sugar, coffee, cotton, indigo, and various tropical fruits. A large number of cattle and sheep, the former similar to the small species at Aden, are reared by the natives; turtle is caught in abundance along the coasts, and forms an article of ex port, and the fauna is comparatively rich for the size of the area. Population of the group, 65,000.
See T. S. Leigh, “Mayotta and the Comoro Islands,” in Jour. Roy. Geog. Soc., 1849; De Horsey, “On the Comoro Islands,” in Jour. Roy. Geog. Soc., 1864.
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