CHAPTER XIII. 



SEYCHELLE ISLANDS. 



ON 22nd March, 1906, Mahe, the largest island 

 of the Seychelle group, was sighted, and shortly 

 afterwards we came to anchor off the town. 



Lord Crawford's intention was to take the yacht 

 round to all the most interesting islands of the 

 group, but owing to very bad weather the greater 

 part of this plan had to be abandoned. However, 

 we spent sixteen delightful days here, and visited 

 the islands of Praslin and Felicite. 



Mahe rises almost perpendicularly from the sea 

 to a height of about 2000 feet. Deep valleys 

 run down from the summit to the sea-shore, 

 and the island is for the most part covered with 

 forest. 



During our stay we were most kindly enter- 

 tained by Mr. H. Thommasset, who invited us to 

 his beautiful " Cascade Estate," which is situated 

 about 1000 feet above the sea. Vanilla was the 

 principal crop grown at the time, though, owing 

 to a fall in the price, it is not now nearly so 

 profitable as it formerly was. For this reason a 



