HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
160 
and many slaves are annually lost in their canoes, as they are employed in loading 
or unloading the larger vessels, or as they are employed in fishing at three or four 
leagues distance from the shore. I never saw any other kind of boats at St. Denis, 
or on the windward side of the isle. Some of them are so large, though made of a 
single tree, as to require ten or twelve oars. On the first appearance of the hurri¬ 
cane the French vessels cut their cables and stand out to sea, rather than go to 
the road of St. Paul, to the leeward of the island, though there is good anchorage, 
from thirty to thirty-five fathom water, at about two miles from the shore, and in a 
much less disturbed sea than that to the windward. 
“ The whole of the island is divided into ten parts or parishes; St. Denis is the 
principal of them, and the residence of the Governor; the others are St. Mary, 
St. Susanna, St. Benoit, St. Andrew, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. Giles, the River, and 
the Gulf. 
“ The small town of St. Denis, where I was, contains about an hundred wooden 
houses: the house of the Governor and a few others are built of stone. The town 
is agreeably situated on a small plain near the sea; the greater part of the houses 
have gardens behind them, and the residence of the Governor is large and con¬ 
venient. At this time a very handsome building of two stories, with wings and 
an handsome front, is erecting as a college for the education of the youth of the 
two islands, and of the other French colonies in the East Indies. The houses here, 
as well as in the Isle of Mauritius, are covered with small planks which are not fit 
for other purposes, and are placed like our tiles. They form a light and lasting 
roof, and of a very pleasing appearance. There are also three batteries on the 
sea-side. But the most curious object in this place, and which merits particular 
attention, is the hanging bridge, contrived to project, as it were, into the sea, and 
by whose assistance goods may be embarked or disembarked with convenience and 
safety, in the most stormy weather, and when it is impossible to approach the shore 
from the violence with which the waves break against it. Before the construction 
of this curious bridge, it was not possible to disembark or unload, without great risk, 
in the finest weather. 
“ This bridge is principally formed of four large masts, which are fastened by 
large and heavy chains of iron; so that articles of merchandize may be elevated 
about thirty feet above the surface of the sea, and even still higher, in boisterous 
periods, by cords and pullies. A ladder of ropes is attached to its extremity for the 
