108 
VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. 
CHAP. IV. 
abundant as to impart the charm of their own peculiar cha¬ 
racter to the foliage of the forest in which they grew. 
At the time of my visit to this station, having found my 
health somewhat affected by the oppressive heat of the wea¬ 
ther, I gladly took up my abode for some time with Madame 
Michaud, at La Jara, situated at the foot of the Peter Botte 
Mountain, about six miles from Port Louis, and about as far 
from the missionary station. This kind lady received me 
very cordially, as I had before paid her a visit in company 
with Mr. Kelsey, who usually devoted the days observed as 
holidays in the government offices to pleasant excursions into 
the country with his family. I did not, therefore, feel my¬ 
self a stranger in the place. 
The mountain scenery in this neighbourhood was peculiarly 
rich and beautiful, and I found my health improved during 
the short time I remained in the valley. On the occasion of 
my visit with Mr. Kelsey, I had accompanied him and his 
youngest son to Creve Coeur, a sort of pass on the lowest part 
of the ridge separating the valley from the plain leading to 
Moka; I have rarely enjoyed a mountain excursion more. 
Our way was a winding path made by naked feet over rocks, 
and stones, and streams, passing little low cane or bamboo 
walled cottages, and through gardens of lentils, pumpkins, 
cucumbers, sweet potatoes, bananas, and maize. Here and 
there the men were working in their gardens, and the women 
washing linen in the rippling stream, or at the edge of a 
naturally formed basin, into which the water flowed from 
the higher parts of the mountain. The people appeared to 
be chiefly Chinese, Africans, Malagasy, and Indians; the 
latter most numerous. Their children—numbers of whom 
were seen about the huts—were not overburthened with 
clothing, but had splendid heads of jetty hair, and were 
decorated with silver chains or rings in great abundance on 
their necks, waists, arms, wrists, ankles, and toes. 
