4M JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 1S92, 



parallel of 10° South and tlie Equator, and 90° to 100° East Longitude, 

 from whence they shape a course direct towards Mauritius and 

 Reunion, and passing either over those islands, or between them and 

 Madagascar, are deflected suddenly to the S. E. and lose themselves 

 in the South Indian Ocean. Cyclones are most numerous during the 

 months of ISTovember, December, January, February, and March, 

 and occasionally in April, but are almost unknown during the rest 

 of the year. They would seem to be begotten, so to speak, in the 

 calm region, existing between the limits of the S.-E. trade wind, and 

 the region of the N.-E. monsoon, which probably produce a vortex, 

 or rotary motion in the air. Whether this is the correct solution of 

 the problem I know not, and leave it to experts to determine. 

 Dr. Meldrum has a theory in which he traces a distinct connection 

 between the periods during which the spots in the sun are most 

 numerous and these cyclones. But while admitting the high authority 

 of so learned a professor as Dr. Meldrum, I confess I am not scientific 

 enough to grasp the fact as to why the sun's influence should be 

 directed against unfortunate Mauritius in particular, to the exclusion 

 of other portions of the globe. 



The disaster which lately happened to this once-favoured isle 

 brought forth some of the most heroic qualities of mankind, 

 and the noble exertions of the Governor, Mr. Hubert Jerningham, 

 the Doctors, the Military, and many others, not forgetting many 

 ladies, who devoted themselves to the sick, the wounded and the 

 dying, — will never be forgotten. Nor, on the other hand, will be the 

 cowardly and scandalous behaviour of the black Creole population 

 who refused to exert themselves to rescue the dying or remove 

 the dead from under the ruins, unless well paid beforehand for 

 so doing. 



In the meanwhile money has poured into the Colony from 

 public and private sources, and it is confidently hoped that the 

 dear little island will ere long regain its former prosperity, although 

 it will be years before its beauty can be restored. 



The failure of the JSTew Oriental Bank added much to the distress 

 of all classes, but, I am happy to say, that before our departure 

 commercial confidence was being restored ; people were becoming 

 more hopeful for the future, and encouraged by the wide-spread 



