CHAP. III. RELIGIOUS SERVICES FOR THE SEAMEN. 67 



The inhabitants of Mauritius did not limit their kind offices 

 towards the shipAvrecked strangers to the supply of their more 

 immediate wants. A subscription was set on foot by the in- 

 habitants of the island, and the magnificent sum of 1200/. 

 was raised and distributed amongst the passengers, who 

 were sent on to Sydney, their original destination, by the 

 government. 



There were many English and American seamen visiting 

 the port at this season, and, as there were no religious 

 services amongst them on the Sabbath, I made application 

 to the harbour master. Captain Russell, for permission to have 

 public worship and preaching for sailors every Sunday in the 

 port office. Permission to occupy it for this purpose was 

 very readily granted by the governor. The requisite fittings 

 were provided, and at times a considerable number of captains, 

 officers, and seamen, from the vessels in the harbour, attended. 

 I continued these services every Sabbath morning until the 

 season when unfavourable weather is always expected, and 

 few vessels came or remained in the harbour. 



Towards the close of the month of October in this year I 

 visited Moka, an inland district about nine or ten miles from 

 Port Louis. The morning we set out for this purpose was 

 fine, and we started early, in order to secure the pleasant 

 coolness of that part of the day. The road was hilly, and, 

 though walking up the hills proved very fatiguing, we were 

 amply repaid by the beauty of the scenery and the many 

 objects of novelty and interest which we passed. In some 

 places stately groves or avenues of mango trees led from the 

 road to a large and respectable house ; at others, the rudely 

 thatched hut of the Indian or of the Creole vender of fruit or 

 beverage stood under the shade of a tamarind tree by the 

 side of the dusty road. In some places tall bamboos grew 

 most luxuriantly on both sides of the road, and, uniting their 



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