FKOM LONDON TO TAMATAYE. 
15 
ubiquitous Chinee sitting at his shop-door at 
every turn and corner, the turbaned coachmen, 
the dashing carioles, and the roll of the tom-tom, 
with the bejewelled and gorgeous Indians throng¬ 
ing every thoroughfare of the town, cannot fail 
to present an ever-changing picture of wonder 
and delight to the newly arrived European. 
The town, lying spread out in its triangular 
plain, at the foot of the famous Peter Bot moun¬ 
tain—a name which speaks of the Dutch origin 
of the colony—with its splendid and capacious 
harbour in front, and a massive, picturesque 
background of rugged mountains and serrated 
table-land, is well adapted for a military or naval 
display; and the authorities had evidently made 
the most of the situation on a certain brilliant 
June afternoon some years ago, when we paid 
it an unexpected visit, and found it en fete in 
honour of the reigning Sultan of the Comoro 
Islands, who was just returning to his native 
shores after a rather lengthened sojourn in the 
Mauritius. The shipping at the anchorage, and 
the numerous masts of the consular establish¬ 
ments on shore, were gay with streamers and 
flags of all nations; the great guns of the forts 
above boomed at impressive intervals from the 
ramparts over the town; and at the landing- 
place a company of the ill-fated regiment, soon 
after routed by Cetewayo at Isandula, was drawn 
