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battery, or that which stands nearest the passage into the . 
harbour, consists of a loose embankment of madrepore, and 
mounts upwards of thirty pieces of ordnance (thirty-six 
pounders) on traversing-carriages; and on its right flank is a 
battery of six thirteen-inch mortars. Fort-Blane, on the 
opposite side of the entrance, and at the distance of about five 
hundred yards, is equally well provided. If to these we add 
the boom already mentioned, and an easterly wind constantly 
blowing out of the harbour, we may regard the success of 
any naval attack on Port-Lowis as extremely doubtful. 
* A person who shall arrive at Port-Louis directly from 
Capetown will be tempted to draw a comparison not very 
favourable to the capital of Mauritius. The contrast is 
indeed obvious. "The houses in Port-Louis rarely consist of 
more than one floor, and are constructed of wood. The 
planks, rough from the saw-pit, are laid horizontally, with 
their edges over-lapping, and nailed to the frame-work. The 
roofs are covered with shingles, which, in the course of a 
season, become of a greyish-black colour. The walls are 
painted with yellow-ochre, or left without any colouring; in 
the latter case, they soon assume the same dismal hue as the 
roof. Each house is surrounded with a clumsy palisade, 
and retires a. few fathoms from the street. The latter are 
generally straight, but very narrow, and for the most part 
merely traced, without any attempt having been made to 
Pave, gravel, or clear them of the stones with which they are. 
copiously encumbered. The police, so far as- regards the 
cleanness of the town, appears to have been much neglected 
before our arrival; nor is there any material reform in that 
cod to be expected in a hurry. The PALA qe 
t in passing along the less frequented streets a person mus 
keep a sharp aa otherwise he will stand a good chance 
of stepping over the ankles into something that ought not to, 
there, - ei Pear m 
" Port-Louis is situated, like Capetown, in a valley, sur- 
rounded on three sides by mountains. The valley is divided 
@ small stream into two equal parts; that on the left side, 
. Called the Champ de Lort, is planted with a grove of Acacia 
.- 
