HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
21 
bad suffered themselves to be taken by the hand. They had also discovered a stream 
of fresh’water, which flowed from the mountains; and, from their account, the 
island promised abundance of refreshments. The Vice-Admiral, Van Warwick, 
however, not knowing as yet that it was uninhabited, and not having time, from 
the sickly state of his people, to make discoveries, ordered on the 20th a large 
party to land, and to take such a station as would secure them from any sudden 
attack. On several succeeding days he ordered out boats to examine other parts of 
the island, to discover if it was inhabited. The parties continued to meet with great 
numbers of birds, who were all so insensible of danger, as not to make the least 
attempt to avoid the people that took them; they saw also large groves of cocoa- 
trees. They discovered on the shore about three hundred weight of wax, which 
was impressed with Greek characters; near the same spot they also saw a hanging 
stage, the spar of a capstan, and a large yard, the remains of some unfortunate vessel 
which had been buried in the waves. They could not, however, find the least 
traces of human or quadruped inhabitants.—After having ordered public thanks to 
be returned to God, for having conducted them to such a fair and secure harbour, 
the Admiral named the island Mauritius, in honour of the Prince of Orange. 
In the accounts of this voyage the following description is given of it. 
They represent it as being situated 11 deg. 30 min. south latitude, and that it is 
about 15 leagues in circumference. * The depth of the sea at the entrance of the 
harbour is about 100 feet. On every side lofty mountains present themselves to the 
view, which are clothed with trees of the finest verdure, and whose summits are fre¬ 
quently enveloped with clouds, or dimly seen through floating mists. The soil is 
stony, but at the same time so entirely covered with wood, that it was impossible 
to force a passage through it. The wood is in general black, like the finest ebony, 
or of a very fine red, or a deep yellow, having the appearance of wax. The Dutch 
took samples of these different woods to Amsterdam, where they were universally 
admired for their beauty. The palm-trees, of which there were great abundance, 
afforded to the fleet a very agreeable refreshment; the pith of them resembling in 
taste the flavour of a turnip. The extraordinary quantity of wood enabled the 
sailors to build very convenient huts, and the speedy recovery of the sick justified 
the opinion that the air was salutary. So abundant is the sea in fish, that one drag 
* These observations are very erroneous.—The island is situated 20 deg. 10 min. south, and is 
about 35 marine leagues in circumference; according to L’Abbe de Caille, M. D’Apres, &c, &c. 
