CHAP. III. ASCENT OF THE POUCE MOUNTiUN. 73 



agility and speed. The scene was also enlivened by the 

 elegant tropic bird occasionally sailing along in the clear and 

 cloudless sky over our heads. 



At different parts of our route we met companies of the 

 inhabitants of Moka, carrying on their heads loads of vege- 

 tables, fruit, and flowers, of which latter article roses formed 

 the staple, for sale at Port Louis. They appeared to descend 

 with considerable speed and without much fatigue, notwith- 

 standing their heavy loads. The men who accompanied us 

 begged sugar-cane of their friends in passing, and we pur- 

 chased some bananas to add to our stores. About half-past 

 seven, we reached what is called the shoidder of the 

 mountain, where the path we had ascended crosses the ridge, 

 and descends to the cultivated plains on the opposite side. 

 Finding here a small stream of clear water, we proposed to 

 halt and take our breakfast. We first chose an open spot 

 commanding a view of the valley below and the ocean 

 beyond ; but the heat of the sun obliged us to seek a situa- 

 tion where the brush-wood afforded some protection from his 

 rays. "WTiile breakfast was preparing and my companions 

 were sketching, I walked to the other side of the pass, and 

 felt amply rewarded by the extensive view I obtained of 

 Moka, Plaines Wilhelms, and perhaps not less so by the 

 pleasure of finding on the trunks of the trees some orchids, 

 the first I had ever seen growing in their natural state. 



WTien our breakfast was ready we sat down together ; 

 a chapter of the Bible was read in French for the benefit of 

 our attendants, and then we all knelt on the grass on the 

 mountain side and offered our thanksgivings and prayers to 

 the Author of all our mercies. Soon after breakfast we 

 resumed our journey towards the summit. For some time 

 our way lay through a thickly wooded part of the mountain, 

 and we began with great enthusiasm to look for new plants. 

 I found so many things to examine and compare, that my 



