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chokes it up for a season; and the mountains are every- 
where disfigured with scars, caused by the removal of large 
portions of their surface, annually undermined, and precipi- 
tated into the ravines. 
* The principal rivers of Bourbon are the R. de St. Denis, 
des Galets, de St. Etienne, d'Abord, de I’ Este, du Rempart, 
and du Mat. All these streams are impassable torrents 
during the rainy season, pouring down an immense volume 
of turbid water; but, for the greater part of the year their 
current is feeble, and in many of them it ceases entirely for a 
time. The island is divided into ten districts or parishes, 
St. Denis, St. Paul, St. Leu, St. Pierre, St. Joseph, Ste. Rose, 
St. Benoit, St. Andre, Ste. Susanne, and Ste. Marie. Each 
district is under the superintendence of a magistrate, having 
the title of civil commissary, whose functions are somewhat 
analogous to those of a justice of the peace. To this office 
a salary of seventy dollars per month is attached, besides a 
variety of perquisites that render it a desirable object to the 
most respectable planters. 
* The soil of Bourbon, like that of Mauritius, is nothing 
more than the reddish argillaceous earth, produced by the 
decomposition of the lava, with little admixture of genuine 
vegetable mould. It is, nevertheless, abundantly productive, 
though it derives no benefit from artificial irrigation, on 
account of the depth at which the streams run beneath the 
general level of the ground. The chief articles of produce 
are coffee, cloves, sugar, cotton, wheat, rice, maize, and 
 Tmanioc. Great quantities of wheat and rice are exported to 
Mauritius. The maize and manioc are cultivated for feeding 
the slaves and horses; the other articles are designed for 
the Europzan market. 
* There are, however, physical obstacles to the cultivation 
of this island, which will arrest it long before it shall arrive 
at the extent and perfection which it would be likely to 
attain under more favourable circumstances. The base, or 
low ground, is already fully occupied with plantations, and 
the only direction in which they can henceforth be extended 
1S up the acclivity of the mountain. But this is too steep to 
