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 delightful 

 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 were 

 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 little 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- 



