HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
49$ 
nevertheless it is uncultivated, because it is difficult to keep up any communication 
with the principal place, both on account of the mountains in the interior, and the 
difficulty of returning by sea to windward of the port, by doubling Morne Brabant. 
“ The left bank of the savannah is more rugged than that of the right. The river 
des Anguilles is somewhat dangerous: the bed is full of rocks, and the current 
rapid: some springs of a ferruginous nature fall into it, which covers its waters with 
an oil of the colour of a pigeon’s neck. 
44 The river du Poste runs with great noise over rocks : its waters are very trans¬ 
parent in dry weather, and it is fordable about a cannon-shot from the mouth 
of it. 
“ All the coast from the arm of the sea, near the savannah, is rugged and un¬ 
approachable. The rivers which fall into it are very much inclosed; so that it 
would be impossible to proceed on horseback: the march of an enemy, therefore, 
might be easily arrested, each river being of a frightful depth. It is, at the same 
time, one of the finest districts of the island. 
*5 After an hour’s walk this fine mossy verdure, which, begins at the Morne Brabant, 
is seen no more, and is succeeded by a very rocky country, like the rest of the 
island : its grass, however, is a fine sort of dog-grass, proper for pasturage. The arm 
of the sea of Chalan is fordable, on a bank of sand, and penetrates inland by so 
narrow a passage, that it might be inclosed with grates, and made a large receptacle 
for fish. 
44 The rivers de la Chaux and des Creoles are very deeply embanked; between them 
and the principal Port there are several plantations: the environs of this port, at about 
three quarters of a league from the river des Creoles , are covered with mango trees: 
the whole landscape is charming, as it is intersected by hills covered with plan¬ 
tations and groves of orange trees. The residence of the priests is about a league 
from the port, which is a kind of small town, containing about a dozen houses. 
The most remarkable edifices are a mill, in ruins, and the government house, which 
is not in a much better condition. Behind this little place is a large mountain, and 
before it is the sea, which forms a deep bay, two leagues in breadth, reckoning from 
the reefs which embrace its opening, and four leagues in length, from the point of 
the two Cocoas to that of the Diable: it very often requires a month for vessels 
to come thither from Port Louis. The south-east part was first inhabited by the 
Dutch, as we have already observed, and one of their ancient edifices still remains. 
