70 
VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. 
CHAP. III. 
“ Where once the garden smiled, 
And still where many a garden flower grows wild.” 
In the evening we returned to Port Louis, pleased with the 
events of the day, and delighted with the rich and glowing 
effect of the tropical landscape as it lay before us burnished 
with the golden light of the setting sun. 
Besides the kindness of Mr. Kelsey, who lived about two 
miles distant from the town, I received much attention from 
Major-Greneral Sutherland, commander-in-chief of the forces, 
&c., and from Dr. A. Thom, chief of the medical depart¬ 
ment. With the latter gentleman and his family I spent 
some pleasant hours; and it was always refreshing to walk 
up to the extremity of the Champ de Lort, where, on the 
edge of the ravine leading to the Pouce, his house was 
situated. I was much struck the first evening, when I walked 
up to join a dinner party at his house, with the beautiful 
effect of the large glass lamps suspended under the ve¬ 
randahs or in the halls of the dwellings by the side of 
the broad open road, and sending their rays through the 
foliage of the gardens in front. This effect was particularly 
striking when passing through the garden of my host, and 
entering at once from the verandah to the lighted drawing¬ 
room, the doors and windows of which were all open so as to 
admit the welcome evening air, and to diffuse the light of 
the room amongst the surrounding shrubs and flowers; while 
the impression was deepened on having the folding doors 
leading to the dining-room opened by two Bengalees in their 
white turbans and long flowing white robes. There was 
something so Oriental in the whole that, though common¬ 
place enough to the residents of India on the island, it was 
novel and interesting to a stranger. I passed the night at 
the residence of Dr. Thom, and slept in a sort of summer¬ 
house, or small single-roomed building in the garden, called 
a pavilion, situated a few yards from the dwelling, and used 
