CHAPTER II. 



THE MASCARENHAS. 

 Réunion — Mauritius — Rodrigues, 



HE term Mascareiihas, originally applied in 1513 by the Portugnese 

 navigator, Pedro de Mascarenhas, to the single island of Réunion, 

 has gradually been extended to the whole group, which although 

 geologically distinct, presents great uniformity in its outlines, 

 climate, productions, and history. Long united politically under 

 the sovereignty of France, the different members of the archipelago still remain 

 sister islands, at least in the homogeneous character of their white popidations. 

 After the conquest, however, Réunion alone was restored to France, England 

 retaining possession of Mauritius, the most important if not the largest, together 

 with its natural dependency, Rodrigues. They have jointly a superficial area of 

 1,600 square miles, and a population in 1888 of nearly 560,000. This gives a 

 density of 350 to the square mile, although the hilly districts are mostly unin- 

 habited. 



The two chief islands, of nearly equal size and configuration, are irregular 

 oval cones of volcanic origin rising from great depths to considerable elevations 

 above the surface. Réunion, the larger and higher, has alone a still active crater ; 

 but in economic importance it is far surpassed by Mauritius, the north-eastern 

 island, which has the advantage of a natural haven serving as a convenient 

 harbour of refuge in those stormy waters. This port has consequently become 

 the centre of an active export trade, and the headquarters of various industrial 

 enterprises in Madagascar and other parts of the Indian Ocean. 



Being exposed to the same regular south-east trade winds and land breezes, and 

 equally well watered on the windward side, both islands are subject to the same 

 climatic conditions. Thus the mean annual rainfall in Mauritius is about 150 inches, 

 in Réunion 160 to 165 inches, while both are frequently devastated by the same 

 destructive cyclones. These tremendous hurricanes, which are developed between 

 5° and 10° S. latitude, sweep over the Indian Ocean in an oblique direction towards 

 the south-west. In the Mascarenhas waters, or farther west near Madagascar, 

 they are deflected to the south and again to the south-east, thus taking the oj^posite 

 direction to the regular trades. Although occurring at every season, they are rare 



