70 VISITS TO MADAGASCAR chap. hi. 



" Where once the garden smiled, 

 And still where many a garden flower grows wild." 



lu the evening we returned to Port Louis, pleased with the 

 events of the day, and delighted with the rich and glowing 

 effect of the tropical landscape as it lay before us burnished 

 with the golden light of the setting sun. 



Besides the kindness of Mr. Kelsey, who lived about two 

 miles distant from the town, I received much attention from 

 Major-Greneral Sutherland, commander-in-chief of the forces, 

 &c., and from Dr. A. Thom, chief of the medical depart- 

 ment. With the latter gentleman and his family I spent 

 some pleasant hours ; and it was always refreshing to walk 

 up to the extremity of the Champ de Lort, where, on the 

 edge of the ravine leading to the Pouce, his house was 

 situated. I was much struck the first evening, when I walked 

 up to join a dinner party at his house, with the beautiful 

 effect of the large glass lamps suspended under the ve- 

 randahs or in the halls of the dwellings by the side of 

 the broad open road, and sending their rays through the 

 foliage of the gardens in front. This effect was particularly 

 striking when passing through the garden of my host, and 

 entering at once from the verandah to the lighted drawing- 

 room, the doors and windows of which were all open so as to 

 admit the welcome evening air, and to diffuse the light of 

 the room amongst the surrounding shrubs and flowers ; while 

 the impression was deepened on having the folding doors 

 leading to the dining-room opened by two Bengalees in their 

 white turbans and long flowing white robes. There was 

 something so Oriental in the whole that, though common- 

 place enough to the residents of India on the island, it was 

 novel and interesting to a stranger. I passed the night at 

 the residence of Dr. Thom, and slejDt in a sort of summer- 

 house, or small single-roomed building in the garden, called 

 a pavilion, situated a few yards from the dwelling, and used 



