104 
VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. 
CHAP. IV. 
board all the ships were at work until two, and on some until 
four in the morning, making everything secure, and that the 
wind, though not in this instance amounting to a hurricane, 
was at times so strong as to lay some of the ships quite on 
their sides. 
Notwithstanding the heavy rains, which were now frequent, 
I was glad whenever I could to get away to the country or 
mountain districts; and soon after this time I visited the 
Royal Gardens at Pamplemouses, seven or eight miles in a 
northerly direction from Port Louis. I had more than once 
visited them before, when I had been highly gratified by the 
kind attentions of Mr. Duncan, the director, and the members 
of his family, from whom I again received a frank and hearty 
welcome, with the offer of such accommodation as they could 
furnish for my photographic operations. 
So far as natural objects were concerned, no place in Mau¬ 
ritius was to me so attractive as the Royal Gardens at Pam¬ 
plemouses. They cover about fifty acres of most excellent 
ground, and are well supplied with water. They appear to 
have been originally laid out on a truly magnificent scale. 
Long walks or avenues, with stone seats at intervals on both 
sides, are bordered with the most rare and valuable trees of 
both hemispheres, interspersed with an almost endless variety 
of shrubs and flowers. Many improvements in the arrange¬ 
ment of some portions of the grounds were in progress; and 
the whole seemed to be kept in as good order as the number 
of labourers assigned to them were capable of maintaining. 
Many of the useful trees and plants of Europe may be found 
here; and the number of choice roses recently introduced by 
Mr. Duncan adds greatly to the charm and attractions 
of the place. But the gardens are especially rich in the 
productions of China, India, and the Asiatic Archipelago. 
Some of the most choice specimens are from Java and the 
