92 
VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. 
CHAP. IV. 
viz., the 24th of December, the air was unusually oppressive, 
and there were indications of an approaching hurricane. The 
ships in the harbour lowered their upper masts and yards, 
but towards evening the atmosphere became more settled, 
and the next day, which was Sunday, and also Christmas 
Day, though hot, was remarkably fine, I went out to Mr. 
Kelsey’s, into whose family circle I was admitted as one of 
their Christmas party. Between nine and ten I returned, 
greatly enjoying my walk. The mild, soft, fragrant atmo¬ 
sphere, and the bright starlight of a cloudless sky, render the 
evenings here unspeakably refreshing and pleasant, after the 
fierce burning heat of the day. 
My friend, Mr. Kelsey, having arranged to take his usual 
New Year’s holiday on the 31st of December, and having 
kindly included me in the family party, I was glad to obtain 
a seat on the box of their carriage as we drove away from 
Latanier, his residence, soon after six o’clock. It was Satur¬ 
day, market day, and for some time I could do little more 
than gaze at the diversified forms, faces, costumes, and vehi¬ 
cles which thronged the road leading to Port Louis. Amongst 
these were Indians in their holiday dresses of white and 
scarlet; others heavily laden with large baskets full of 
bananas, mangoes, pine-apples, or peaches, on their heads; 
and numbers of Chinese literally bending under the weight of 
their load of fruit or vegetables, with perhaps half a dozen 
fowls tied at the top. The Indians and Africans carry their 
loads on their heads, but the Chinese carry theirs at the ends 
of an elastic stick borne across the shoulders. These, in an 
almost uninterrupted stream, occupied the sides of the road, 
while the centre was traversed by a constant succession of 
large carts loaded with sugar, and drawn by mules or bullocks; 
besides which were the cabriolets and gigs of the planters or 
merchants. 
After proceeding for some miles in a northerly direction 
