MAUEITIUS. 



45 



aloe fibre, and cocoanut oil, the imports being European wares, rice from Bombay, 

 maize and cattle from Madagascar. 



The whole island is intersected by railways connecting the capital with the 

 chief groups of plantations and residences of the wealthy classes. On the north- 

 east line, six miles from the capital, lie the sugar works of Pamplemousse, and close 

 by the famous garden, founded in 1768 by Poivre, for the cultivation of tropical 

 plants. Here are some of the finest avenues in the world, and the place is still better 



Fig. 13.— Poet Louis. 

 Scale 1 : 125,000, 



Depths 



Sands and reefs exposed 

 at low water. 



0to32 



Feet. 



32 to 640 

 Feet. 



640 Feet and 

 upwards. 



3 Miles. 



known as the scene of Bernardin de Saint- Pierre's " Paul and Virginia." To the 

 north-east lies the reef -fringed isle of Amber, where was wrecked the Saint- Géran, 

 as related by this charming writer. Such also is the power of the popular imagina- 

 tion, that travellers are shown the very graves of the two lovers. 



The railway running from Saint-Louis towards the south-east traverses the 

 Wilhelm's Plains, where Curepipe, lying about the geometrical centre of the island 

 and 1,800 feet above the sea, has become the chief health resort in Mauritius. 

 The experimental tea plantation of this district contained in 1887 over twelve 



