104 VISITS TO MADAGASCAE. chap. iv. 



board all the sliips were at work until two, and on some until 

 four in the morning, making everything secure, and that the 

 wind, though not in this instance amounting to a hurricane, 

 was at times so strong as to lay some of the ships quite on 

 their sides. 



Notwithstanding the heavy rains, which were now frequent, 

 I was glad whenever I could to get away to the country or 

 mountain districts; and soon after this time I visited the 

 Royal Grardens at Pamplemouses, seven or eight miles in a 

 northerly direction from Port Louis. I had more than once 

 visited them before, when I had been highly gratified by the 

 kind attentions of Mr. Duncan, the director, and the members 

 of his family,, from whom I again received a frank and hearty 

 welcome, with the offer of such accommodation as they could 

 furnish for my photographic operations. 



So far as natural objects were concerned, no place in Mau- 

 ritius was to me so attractive as the Royal G-ardens at Pam- 

 plemouses. They cover about fifty acres of most excellent 

 ground, and are well supplied with water. They appear to 

 have been originally laid out on a truly magnificent scale. 

 Long walks or avenues, with stone seats at intervals on both 

 sides, are bordered with the most rare and valuable trees of 

 both hemispheres, interspersed with an almost endless variety 

 of shrubs and flowers. Many improvements in the arrange- 

 ment of some portions of the grounds were in progress ; and 

 the whole seemed to be kept in as good order as the number 

 of labourers assigned to them were capable of maintaining. 

 Many of the useful trees and plants of Europe may be found 

 here ; and the number of choice roses recently introduced by 

 Mr. Duncan adds greatly to the charm and variety of the 

 attractions of the place. But the gardens are especially rich 

 in the productions of China, India, and the Asiatic Archipe- 

 lago. Some of the most choice specimens are from Java and 

 the adjacent islands, while there are others from the continent 



