474 [chap. xxi» 



CHAPTER XXI. 



MAURITIUS TO ENGLAND. 



J 



Mauritius, beautiful appearance of — Great crateriform ring- of 

 Mountains — Hindoos — St. Helena — History of the changfes 

 in the veg-etation — Cause of the extinction of land-shells 

 — Ascension — Variation in the imported rats — Volcanic 

 Bombs — Beds of infusoria — Bahia — Brazil — Splendour of 

 tropical scenery — Pernambuco — Singular Reef — Slavery — 

 Return to England — Retrospect on our Voyage. 



April 2()th. — In the morning we passed round the northern 

 end of Mauritius, or the Isle of France. From this point 

 of view the aspect of the island equalled the expectations 

 raised by the many well-known descriptions of its beautiful 

 scenery. The sloping plain of the Pamplemousses, inter- 

 spersed with houses, and coloured by the large fields of 

 sugar-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- 

 cultivated plain ; their summits, as so commonly happens 

 with ancient volcanic rocks, being jagged into the sharpest 

 points. Masses of white clouds were collected around 

 these pinnacles, as if for the sake of pleasing the stranger's 

 eye. The whole island, with its sloping border and central 

 mountains, was adorned with an air of perfect elegance : 

 the scenery, if I may use such an expression, appeared to 

 the sight harmonious. 



I spent the greater part of the next day in walking 

 about the town, and visiting different people. The town 

 is of considerable size, and is said to contain 20,000 in- 

 habitants ; the streets 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 : Englishmen 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 operas are excellently 

 performed. We were also surprised at seeing large book- 

 sellers' shops, with well-stored shelves ; — music and reading 



