205 



CHAPTER XV. 



MAUEITIUS TO ENGLAND. 



Leave Mauritius Pass Island of Bourbon Cape of Good Hope 

 Simon's Bay Illness of Lieut. Roberton Left at sick quarters 

 He-survey of Table Bay Proposed construction of a Break- 

 water St. Helena Terrific consequences of the rollers Ascen- 

 sion Island Excitement on nearing home Violent Gale Nar- 

 row escape of the ship Reach Spithead Ordered to Chatham 

 Paid off Conclusion. 



BEING detained at the Mauritius, principally for the pur- 

 pose of rating our Chronometers, we had more leisure 

 time than we usually enjoyed in port, and between the 

 hospitality of the Governor, Sir W. Gomm, of Admiral 

 Dacres, and our military friends, we enjoyed our visit 

 extremely. As this island has been fully described by 

 former voyagers, and my pursuits did not lead me into 

 the interior, I pass over this spot without any further 

 allusion. 



On the 3rd Sept. we sailed out of the Mauritius, shaping 

 our course past the Island of Bourbon, for the southern 

 coast of Africa. Nothing worthy of note occurred until 

 the 17th, when we made the African coast, and ran into 

 soundings in the neighbourhood of the Great Fish River, 

 when we shaped our course alongshore, for Cape Agulhas, 



