May, 1836. Mauritius. 573 



house, which is situated on the edge of Wilheim plains, and 

 about six miles from the port. We staid at this dehghtful 

 place two days : being elevated nearly 800 feet above the 

 sea, the air was pleasantly cool and fresh, and on every side 

 there were delightful walks. Close by there is a grand 

 ravine, which is worn to a depth of about 500 feet through 

 the slightly inclined streams of lava which have flowed from 

 the central platform. 



5th. — Captain Lloyd took us to the Riviere Noire, which 

 is several miles to the southward, in order that I might 

 examine some rocks of elevated coral. We passed through 

 pleasant gardens, and fine fields of sugar-cane growing 

 amidst huge blocks of lava. The roads were bordered by 

 hedges of mimosa, and near many of the houses there w^ere 

 avenues of the mango. Some of the views, where the peaked 

 hills and the cultivated farms were seen together, were ex- 

 ceedingly picturesque ; and we were constantly tempted to 

 exclaim, " How pleasant it would be to pass one's life in 

 such a quiet abode !" Captain Lloyd possessed an elephant ; 

 he sent it half way with us on the road, that we might enjoy 

 a ride in true Indian fashion. I should think, as is com- 

 monly said to be the case, that the motion must be fatiguing 

 for a long journey. The circumstance which surprised me 

 most, was the quite noiseless step ; a ride on so wonderful 

 an animal was extremely interesting. This elephant is the 

 only one at present on the island ; but it is said others will 

 be sent for. 



May 9th. — We sailed from Port Louis, on our way to 

 the Cape of Good Hope, and on the evening of the 31st 

 anchored in Simon's Bay. The httle town offers but a 

 cheerless aspect to a stranger's eye. About a couple of 

 hundred, square, whitewashed houses, with scarcely a single 

 tree in the neighbourhood, and very few gardens, are 

 scattered along the beach, at the foot of a lofty, steep, 

 bare wall, of horizontally-stratified sandstone. 



The next day I set out for Cape Town, which is twenty 

 miles distant. Both towns are situated within the head- 



