1836. | MAURITIUS. © 485 
upheaval. There appears to me to be insuperable objections to 
this view : on the other hand, I can hardly believe, in this and 
in some other cases, that these marginal crateriform mountains 
are merely the basal remnants of immense volcanos, of which 
the summits either have been blown off, or swallowed up in 
subterranean abysses. 
From our elevated position we enjoyed an excellent view over 
the island. The country on this side appears pretty well culti- 
vated, being divided into fields and studded with farm-houses. 
I was however assured that of the whole land, not more than 
half is yet in a productive state; if such be the case, considering 
the present large export of sugar, this island, at some future 
period when thickly peopled, will be of great value. Since 
England has taken possession of it, a period of only twenty-five 
years, the export of sugar is said to have increased seventy-five 
fold. One great cause of its prosperity is the excellent state of 
the roads. In the neighbouring Isle of Bourbon, which remains 
under the French government, the roads are still in the same 
miserable state as they were here only a few years ago. Al- 
though the French residents must have largely profited by the 
increased prosperity of their island, yet the English government 
is far from popular. 
3rd.—In the evening Captain Lloyd, the Surveyor-general, 
so well known from his examination of the Isthmus of Panama, 
invited Mr. Stokes and myself to his country-house, which is 
situated on the edge of Wilheim Plains, and about six miles from 
the Port. We staid at this delightful place two days; standing 
nearly 800 feet above the sea, the air was cool and fresh, and 
on every side there were delightful walks. Close by, a grand 
ravine has been 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, 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 were avenues of the mango. Some of the 
views, where the peaked hills and the cultivated farms were seen 
