THE POLICE. 311 



under the sun. The force consists of two bodies — 

 the Government and municipal police — the former 

 body, or at least that part of it on duty in Port 

 Louis, contains three hundred men, two-thirds of 

 them being whites ; this proportion is made up 

 entirely of seamen, French, English, American, and 

 German — the Government, eager to have a white 

 police force, accepts all who offer to enlist for a term 

 of from one to three years, providing they possess a 

 certified discharge from the vessels in which they 

 have last served. 



It may be better imagined than described how a 

 body of men, composed of such reckless material, 

 would conduct themselves ; they create more disturb- 

 ance by far than those under their surveillance; and 

 it is not unusual for them, at the close of the month, 

 to be mulcted in the greater part of their wages — re- 

 tained by the authorities as fines for disorderly con- 

 duct. 



They receive four pounds sterling per month, and 

 live in barracks resembling those of the soldiery; 

 those who are married are allowed to live where 

 they please. Their uniform is duck trowsers, a jacket 

 of blue cloth reaching to the hips, and closing tightly 

 with brass buttons, each displaying the crown, and a 

 blue cap, the top of which is of white glazed oil 

 skin — this cap is also surmounted with a crown ; in 

 the hand, day and night, is carried a baton, beauti- 

 fully ornamented with Chinese characters. 



We were much surprised to find in the police 

 force a number of Americans who had deserted from 

 whalers, and whom we had seen before in the eastern 

 ports of the Indian Ocean ; amongst these were 



