Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.3)

May, 1836. Mauritius. 573 house, which is situated on the edge of Wilheim plains, and about six miles from the port. We staid at this dehghtful place two days : being elevated nearly 800 feet above the sea, the air was pleasantly cool and fresh, and on every side there were delightful walks. Close by there is a grand ravine, which is worn to a depth of about 500 feet through the slightly inclined streams of lava which have flowed from the central platform. 5th. — Captain Lloyd took us to the Riviere Noire, which is several miles to the southward, in order that I might examine some rocks of elevated coral. We passed through pleasant gardens, and fine fields of sugar-cane growing amidst huge blocks of lava. The roads were bordered by hedges of mimosa, and near many of the houses there w^ere avenues of the mango. Some of the views, where the peaked hills and the cultivated farms were seen together, were ex- ceedingly picturesque ; and we were constantly tempted to exclaim, " How pleasant it would be to pass one's life in such a quiet abode !" Captain Lloyd possessed an elephant he sent it half way with us on the road, that we might enjoy a ride in true Indian fashion. I should think, as is com- monly said to be the case, that the motion must be fatiguing for a long journey. The circumstance which surprised me most, was the quite noiseless step ; a ride on so wonderful an animal was extremely interesting. This elephant is the only one at present on the island ; but it is said others will be sent for. May 9th. — We sailed from Port Louis, on our way to the Cape of Good Hope, and on the evening of the 31st anchored in Simon's Bay. The httle town offers but a cheerless aspect to a stranger's eye. About a couple of hundred, square, whitewashed houses, with scarcely a single tree in the neighbourhood, and very few gardens, are scattered along the beach, at the foot of a lofty, steep, bare wall, of horizontally-stratified sandstone. The next day I set out for Cape Town, which is twenty miles distant. Both towns are situated within the head-