284 Mr Snell, The Natural History of the Island of Rodrigues 



witli lumps of volcanic rock on the surface. The limestone is not 

 found along the northern or southern shores, except at their eastern 

 extremity, where patches occur at the mouths of the valleys, 

 occasionally at some distance from the shore. Some of the patches 

 of limestone found in the volcanic region indicate an elevation of 

 perhaps 500 feet, and the raised beaches on the south shore, some 

 20 feet in height, may point to a further subsequent change of 

 level. The position of old volcanic craters has not been accurately 

 determined, but the main ones appear to have been situated 

 about the Grande Montaigne and Mount Malartic, 



The island is comparatively dry, and during the warm season 

 many of the streams are dried up, though they assume in the 

 rainy season torrential proportions. The climate is like that of 

 Mauritius. The rainfall is very irregular; during the north-west 

 monsoon from November to April the weather is wet and warm, 

 and early in this season there are frequently severe hurricanes. 

 From May to October the south-east monsoon prevails, and the 

 weather is then cool and dry. Fogs are rare, and climatic conditions 

 render the island healthy to live in. 



Rodrigues was discovered in 1510, by a Portuguese commander, 

 whose name it bears. In 1691 the Dutch landed several fugitive 

 French Huguenots there, among whom was M. Fran9ois Leguat, 

 who wrote an account of the island in 1708. The island was later 

 cultivated by the French East Indian Company, and maize and 

 corn were grown ; these, with dried fish, turtles and land tortoises, 

 were exported to Mauritius. It was occupied by the British in 

 1809, and made the base of operations against Mauritius. It is 

 still cultivated as a garden for Mauritius, its main exports being 

 beans, acacia seed, maize, salt fish, cattle, goats and pigs. The 

 population is about 5000, mostly settled around Port Mathurin, 

 the only town in the island. The people are mainly French Creoles, 

 with a few Chinese and Indians, and are subject to the Government 

 of Mauritius, which suppHes a Resident Magistrate. The island is 

 a station of the Eastern Telegraph Company, connecting to Cocos- 

 Keeling. 



Each family usually cultivates an acre or several acres of land, 

 whereon they grow maize, sweet potatoes, haricot beans, pumpkins, 

 various herbs, onions, etc. They depend, in fact, largely on their 

 own plantations for food. At one time a species of mountain-rice, 

 which does not require an abundance of moisture, was grown in 

 large quantities, but its cultivation was abandoned owing to the 

 depredations of small birds. Tobacco grows well. Haricot beans 

 are still exported. There have lately been, however, only five ships 

 per year, and these small sailing ships of 500 tons down to 100 tons 

 register; this makes it very difiicult to market the produce of the 

 island. The maize grown is barely enough for local consumption. 



