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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 1' 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 

 manioc. 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 Europaean 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 

 is up the acclivity of the mountain. But this is too steep to 



