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recently quitted. The low ground, for several miles inland, 

 was covered with trees of varied foliage, enclosing fields of 

 maize, manioc, and sugar-cane, and garnished with clumps 

 of cocoa and date palms, waving their pensile fronds over 

 the general level of the wood. The interior presented to 

 the eye a broken range of mountains, covered with lofty 

 trees, and shooting up into rugged peaks, which, obscured 

 from time to time by the passing clouds, gave the whole 

 scene a most picturesque effect. 



"As we approached within sight of Port-Louis, we observed 

 the white flag waving; over the batteries that guard the entrance 

 of the harbour, which led us to conjecture that some nego- 

 ciation was going on between the contending parties ; and 

 we learned by our first communication with the shore, that 

 the enemy had capitulated about two o'clock that morning. 

 The terms of this capitulation are sufficiently well known, 

 and I shall offer no remark on them. Amongst the troops 

 they excited but one sentiment, and that not very flattering 

 to the parties concerned. With an army of 16,000 regular, 

 well-disciplined troops, opposed to a handful of men, not one- 

 tenth its numerical force, and of these one-half consisting of 

 seamen and deserters, we might, without any charge of pre- 

 sumption, have looked for an unconditional surrender. 



" The harbour of Port-Louis is situated in lat. 20° 9'/ south, 

 and 57'^ 29" east longitude. It is of considerable size. There 

 were at least one hundred sail of various descriptions at 

 anchor within the boom at the time we disembarked, which 

 did not take place until the 10th December, after matters 

 had been arranged for the embarkation of those troops which 

 were to return to India. 



" Towards the sea, the defences of Port-Louis are ex- 

 tremely formidable. On the left hand, as you enter the 

 harbour, stands the He aux Tonneliers, about half a mile in 

 length, and rising no higher than a few feet above the level 

 of the water. It is merely a bank of coral thrown up by the 

 waves, and reduced by attrition to a pulverulent state. Two 

 batteries, erected at the extreme points of the island, are 

 connected by a stone parapet en crenillaire. The west 



