72 VISITS TO MADAGASCAR chap. hi. 



only eminent in his profession, but having extended his in- 

 quiries to other departments of knowledge. Meteorology 

 had engaged much of his attention, and his work on the 

 Law of Storms is regarded as a valuable contribution to that 

 important branch of nautical science. Loss of health obliged 

 him during the following year to leave Mauritius with his 

 family for England, where his useful life terminated very 

 peacefully soon after his arrival. 



The 9th of November, the Prince of Wales's birthday, was 

 observed as a public holiday in Port Louis, and I accompanied 

 my two young friends. Lieutenant, now Captain, Grordon and 

 Mr. Larkworthy, whom I often met at Dr. Thom's, on an 

 excursion to the Pouce, a lofty mountain with a sort of 

 thumb-shaped summit, which rises immediately behind Port 

 Louis. We set out very early in order to secure the ad- 

 vantage of the coolness of the morning. Some natives carried 

 our provisions : I took a large tin case for specimens of plants, 

 and my companions each a portfolio for sketching. On leaving 

 the town, we passed along a path that reminded me some- 

 what of excursions among the Pyrenees. After a time we 

 entered upon the woody base of the mountain, when the 

 road became more steep, but not difficult, affording oc- 

 casionally good halting-places, with openings in the trees 

 through which we obtained most charming views of the rich 

 valley, with its villas, cottages, and gardens, the citadel, 

 the town, the port, and the batteries which guard its en- 

 trance, the lines of stately shipping ranged along the sides 

 of the harbour, with the wide blue ocean stretching far away 

 beyond ; on the other side of our path, the fine, bold, steep 

 piles of dark ferruginous volcanic rock, diversified along its 

 different strata by tufts of grass and stunted shrubs, rose 

 several hundred feet above our path. Amongst these rocks 

 in several places the monkeys which inhabit the mountain 

 could be seen springing from branch to branch with great 



