CHAP. III. 
ASCENT OF THE POUCE MOUNTAIN. 
73 
agility and speed. The scene was also enlivened by the 
elegant tropic bird occasionally sailing along in the clear and 
cloudless sky over our heads. 
At different parts of our route we met companies of the 
inhabitants of Moka, carrying on their heads loads of vege¬ 
tables, fruit, and flowers, of which latter article roses formed 
the staple, for sale at Port Louis. They appeared to descend 
with considerable speed and without much fatigue, notwith¬ 
standing their heavy loads. The men who accompanied us 
begged sugar-cane of their friends in passing, and we pur¬ 
chased some bananas to add to our stores. About half-past 
seven, we reached what is called the shoulder of the 
mountain, where the path we had ascended crosses the ridge, 
and descends to the cultivated plains on the opposite side. 
Finding here a small stream of clear water, we proposed to 
halt and take our breakfast. We first chose an open spot 
commanding a view of the valley below and the ocean 
beyond; but the heat of the sun obliged us to seek a situa¬ 
tion where the brush-wood afforded some protection from his 
rays. While breakfast was preparing and my companions 
were sketching, I walked to the other side of the pass, and 
felt amply rewarded by the extensive view I obtained of 
Moka, and Plaines Wilhelms; and perhaps not less so by the 
pleasure of finding on the trunks of the trees some orchids, 
the first I had ever seen growing in their natural state. 
When our breakfast was ready we sat down together; 
a chapter of the Bible was read in French for the benefit of 
our attendants, and then we all knelt on the grass on the 
mountain side and offered our thanksgivings and prayers to 
the Author of all our mercies. Soon after breakfast we 
resumed our journey towards the summit. For some time 
our way lay through a thickly wooded part of the mountain, 
and we began with great enthusiasm to look for new plants. 
I found so many things to examine and compare, that my 
