CHAPTER XXI
MAURITIUS TO ENGLAND
Mauritius, beautiful appearance of--Great crateriform ring of
Mountains--Hindoos--St. Helena--History of the changes in the
Vegetation--Cause of the extinction of
Land-shells--Ascension--Variation in the imported Rats--Volcanic
Bombs--Beds of Infusoria--Bahia--Brazil--Splendour of Tropical
Scenery--Pernambuco--Singular Reef--Slavery--Return to
England--Retrospect on our Voyage.
APRIL 29th.--In the morning we passed round the northern end of
Mauritius, or the Isle of France. From this point of view the aspect of
the island equalled the expectations raised by the many well-known
descriptions of its beautiful scenery. The sloping plain of the
Pamplemousses, interspersed with houses, and coloured by the large
fields of sugar-cane of a bright green, composed the foreground. The
brilliancy of the green was the more remarkable because it is a colour
which generally is conspicuous only from a very short distance. Towards
the centre of the island groups of wooded mountains rose out of this
highly cultivated plain; their summits, as so commonly happens with
ancient volcanic rocks, being jagged into the sharpest points. Masses
of white clouds were collected around these pinnacles, as if for the
sake of pleasing the stranger's eye. The whole island, with its
sloping border and central mountains, was adorned with an air of
perfect elegance: the scenery, if I may use such an expression,
appeared to the sight harmonious.
I spent the greater part of the next day in walking about the town and
visiting different people. The town is of considerable size, and is
said to contain 20,000 inhabitants; the streets are very clean and
regular. Although the island has been so many years under the English
Government, the general character of the place is quite French:
Englishmen speak to their servants in French, and the shops are all
French; indeed, I should think that Calais or Boulogne was much more
Anglified. There is a very pretty little theatre, in which operas are
excellently performed. We were also surprised at seeing large
453