282 MAUlUTIUa. 



many well-known descriptions of its beautiful scen- 

 ery. The sloping plain of the Pamplemousses, 

 interspersed with houses, and coloured by the large 

 fields of sugai'-cane of a bright green, composed 

 the foreground. The brilliancy of the green was 

 the more remarkable, because it is a colour which 

 generally is conspicuous only from a very short 

 distance. Towards the centre of the island groups 

 of wooded mountains rose out of this highly-culti- 

 vated plain ; their summits, as so commonly hap- 

 pens with ancient volcanic rocks, being jagged 

 Into the sharpest points. Masses of white clouds 

 Avere collected around these pinnacles, as if for the 

 sake of pleasing the stranger's eye. The whole 

 island, with its sloping border and central mount- 

 ains, was adorned Avith an air of perfect elegance; 

 the scenery, if I may use such an expression, ap- 

 peared to the sight harmonious. 



I spent the gi-eater part of the next day in walk- 

 ing about the town and visiting different people. 

 The town is of considerable size, and is said to 

 contain 20,000 inhabitants ; the sti'eets are very 

 clean and regular. Although the island has been 

 so many years under the English government, the 

 general character of the place is quite French : 

 Eno-lishmen speak to their servants in French, and 

 the shops are all French ; indeed, I should think 

 that Calais or Boulogne was much more Anglified. 

 There is a very pretty little theatre, in which op- 

 eras are excellently performed. We were also 

 surprised at seeing large booksellers' shops, with 

 well-stored shelves. Music and reading bespeak 

 our approach to the old world of civilization ; for 

 in truth, both Australia and America are new 

 worlds. 



The various races of men walking in the streets 

 afford the most interesting spectacle in Port Louis. 



