1836.] MAURITIUS. 353 



so called from a thumb-like projection, which rises close behind the 

 town to a height of 2,600 feet. The centre of the island consists of a 

 great platform, surrounded by old broken basaltic mountains, with 

 their strata dipping seawards. The central platform, formed of com- 

 paratively recent streams of lava, is of an oval shape, thirteen geogra- 

 phical miles across, in the line of its shorter axis. The exterior 

 bounding mountains come into that class of structures called Craters 

 of Elevation, which are supposed to have been formed not like ordinary 

 craters, but by a great and sudden upheaval. There appears to me to 

 be insuperable objections to this view; on the other hand, I can hardly 

 believe, in this and in some other cases, that these marginal crateriform 

 mountains are merely the basal remnants of immense volcanos, of 

 which the summits either have been blown off, or swallowed up in 

 subterranean abysses. 



From our elevated position we enjoyed an excellent view over the 

 island. The country on this side appears pretty well cultivated, being 

 divided into fields and studded with farmhouses. I was however 

 assured that of the whole land, not more than half is yet in a produc- 

 tive state ; if such be the case, considering the present large export of 

 sugar, this island, at some future period when thickly peopled, will be 

 of great value. Since England has taken possession of it, a period of 

 only twenty-five years, the export of sugar is said to have increased 

 seventy-five fold. One great cause of its prosperity is the excellent 

 state of the roads. In the neighbouring Isle of Bourbon, which remains 

 under the French government, the roads are still in the same miserable 

 state as they were here only a few years ago. Although the French 

 residents must have largely profited by the increased prosperity of their 

 island, yet the English government is far from popular. 



May yd. In the evening Captain Lloyd, the Surveyor-general, so 

 well known from his examination of the Isthmus of Panama, invited 

 Mr. Stokes and myself to his country house, which is situated on the 

 edge of Wilheim Plains, and about six miles from the Port. We stayed 

 at this delightful place two days ; standing nearly 800 feet above the 

 sea, the air was cool and fresh, and on every side there were delightful 

 walks. Close by, a grand ravine has been worn to a depth of about 

 500 feet through the slightly inclined streams of lava, which have 

 flowed from the central platform. 



May 5//z. Captain Lloyd took us to the Riviere Noire, which is 

 several miles to the southward, that I might examine some rocks oi 

 elevated coral. We passed through pleasant gardens, and fine fields of 

 sugar-cane growing amidst huge blocks of lava. The roads were 

 bordered by hedges of Mimosa, and near many of the houses there 

 were avenues of the mango. Some of the views, where the peaked 

 hills a-nd the cultivated farms were seen together, were exceedingly 

 picturesque ; and we were constantly tempted to exclaim, " Kov 

 pleasant it would be to pass one's life in such quiet abodes 1 " Captain 

 Lloyd possessed an elephant, and he sent it halfway with us that 

 we might enjoy a ride in true Indian fashion. The circumstance 

 which surprised me most was its quite noiseless step. This elephant 



