chap. iii. ATTRACTIVE NOVELTIES AT PORT LOUIS. 
53 
signal mountain. The aspect of these several localities indi¬ 
cates the widely different classes comprised in the population 
of Port Louis, and at the same time imparts an agreeable 
variety to the prospect. 
But it is chiefly on landing that a scene. peculiarly novel 
and striking meets the eye of a stranger from Europe. On 
the custom-house quay all is activity and bustle, even in the 
hottest part of the day. Gfangs of Coolies are toiling, and 
sing in a low monotonous tone, as they empty the barges or 
lighters that lie along the edge of the wharf, and deposit 
their contents under large sheds on the shore. Weighers are 
busy at the public scales; clerks, and custom-house officers, 
and merchants or traders of India or Europe, Arabs, Parsees, 
English, French, Mauritian and Chinese, all in their dis¬ 
tinctive costumes, may be met with there, some with the 
high-crowned hat and stiff angular dress of the European, 
others in the loose flowing white robe and turban of India or 
Arabia,—most of the former, and some of the latter, seeking 
protection from the fierce rays of the sun under large um¬ 
brellas. 
On the outside of the custom-house premises numbers of 
muleteers with their carts may be seen during the greater 
part of the day waiting to be hired, while others within are 
loading or removing the goods on which the dues have been 
paid. Most of the labourers about the wharves and ware¬ 
houses are either Coolies or Chinamen. The latter appear 
generally more robust and hardy than the former, yet both 
are employed in working all day under the scorching sun 
without appearing to suffer inconvenience. There are upwards 
of 10,000 Indians in Port Louis, and an equal number of ex¬ 
apprentices. In 1851, the whole population of Port Louis 
was about 50,000, but it has probably much increased since 
that time. 
The same activity characterises the business parts of the 
