314 SIR RODEKICK I. MURCHISON'S ADDRESS— AFRICA. [May 23, 1859. 



ductive, watered with niimerous rivulets, and being well wooded, 

 the scenery is very picturesque. 



On the east side of the island the magnificent bay or road- 

 stead, Port Victoria, about 4 miles deep and 3^ miles wide, could 

 contain from 300 to 400 vessels, while in the harbour five or six 

 sail of the line might be safely moored, with sufficient room for 

 smaller vessels. 



Hurricanes and gales of wind are never known there. From 

 1817 to 1827 a flourishing and lucrative cotton trade was carried on 

 at the Seychelles ; though the plant, which is of fine quality, has 

 not yet been placed in competition with sea-island quality of Georgia, 

 in the United States. 



The sugar-cane grows luxuriantly, and no tobacco is superior to 

 that raised at the Seychelles. Timber, for shipbuilding, furniture, 

 and all domestic purposes, is to be found in abundance. The 

 sperm whale is fished near the Seychelles, and turtle abound. The 

 working population, however, is scant, and during the last year 

 two-thirds of the cloves which are produced by the remains of 

 the spice gardens were left on the ground for want of labour to save 

 them. 



" This love of the ocean," says Mr. M'Leod, "might be turned 

 to advantage by encouraging maritime pursuits and commercial 

 relations between these islands, Madagascar, and the whole of the 

 east seaboard of Africa." Specimens of cotton, woods for building 

 purposes, orchilla weed, the Coco-de-Mer (found only on these 

 islands), and specimens of the woods may be seen at the rooms of our 

 Society, all brought home by the author of that Memoir from which 

 I have extracted the preceding matter. 



The same zealous officer wrote to me in 1857 from Mozam- 

 bique, advocating the establishment of steam-postal communication 

 between Aden, Katal, and the Cape of Good Hope. From England 

 via Aden letters are delivered at Mauritius in 29 days. By the 

 same route, i. e. by Aden, a letter might reach Natal in 25 days, and 

 the Cape of Good Hope in 30 days, the steamer calling by the way 

 at Zanzibar and Mozambique. Already it appears that endeavours 

 are making at the Cape to carry out partially the suggestion of Mr. 

 M'Leod by advertisements for tenders to carry on a monthly steam 

 communication between the Cape and Mozambique, and between 

 the former place and Natal steam vessels have plied once a fortnight 

 for more than two years. 



So rapid is the demand for advancement in these parts that the 



