CHAPTER XXI 

 Mauritius to England 



Mauritius, beautiful appearance of — Great crateriform ring of Moun- 

 tains — Hindoos — St. Helena — History of the changes in the Vege- 

 tation — Cause of the extinction of Land-shells — Ascension — Vari- 

 ation in the imported Rats — Volcanic Bombs — Beds of Infusoria — 

 Bahia — Brazil — Splendour of Tropical Scenery — Pernambuco — 

 Singular Reef — Slavery — Return to England — Retrospect on our 

 Voyage. 



PRIL 2pth. — In the morning we passed round the 



northern end of Mauritius, or the Isle of France. 



From this point of view the aspect of the island 

 equalled the expectations raised by the many well-known 

 descriptions of its beautiful scenery. The sloping plain of 

 the Pamplemousses, interspersed with houses, and coloured 

 by the large fields of sugar-cane of a bright green, composed 

 the foreground. The brilliancy of the green was the more 

 remarkable because it is a colour which generally is con- 

 spicuous only from a very short distance. Towards the cen- 

 tre of the island groups of wooded mountains rose out of 

 this highly cultivated plain; their summits, as so commonly 

 happens with ancient volcanic rocks, being jagged into the 

 sharpest points. Masses of white clouds were collected 

 around these pinnacles, as if for the sake of pleasing the 

 stranger's eye. The whole island, with its sloping border 

 and central mountains, was adorned with an air of perfect 

 elegance: the scenery, if I may use such an expression, ap- 

 peared to the sight harmonious. 



I spent the greater part of the next day in walking about 

 the town and visiting different people. The town is of con- 

 siderable size, and is said to contain 20,000 inhabitants; the 

 streets are very clean and regular. Although the island has 

 been so many years under the English Government, the gen- 

 eral character of the place is quite French: Englishmen 



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