Subtropical Rambles in the Land of Aphanapteryx. Personal experiences, adventures ... in and around the island of Mauritius

Front matter

THE ISLAND OF MAURITIUS THE AUTHOR AND HIS COLLECTION. SUB-TROPICAL RAMBLES IN THE LAND OF THE APHANAPTERYX PERSONAL EXPERIENCES, ADVENTURES, AND WANDERINGS IN AND AROUND THE ISLAND OF MA URITIUS. By NICOLAS PIKE. NEW YOKE: HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, FRANKLIN SQUARK 18 73. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1873, by HARPER & BROTHERS, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. AS C{)is Volume IS MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED TO M. X. L. A MARK OF ESTEEM AND FRIENDSHIP AND FOR THE VALUABLE ASSISTANCE RENDERED ME WHILST WRITING ITS PAGES ; ALSO FOR THE KIND CARE AND ATTENTION BESTOWED UPON ME WHEN STRICKEN DOWN WITH FEVER ALONE IN A STRANGE LAND, AND WHICH NEARLY PREVENTED THEM BEING WRITTEN AT ALL

Preface

. The present volume of Sub-tropical Eambles is made up from notes taken on my voyage from America to Mauritius ; information gained in the latter wherever possible ; and my own experience during the years I have resided in it. The ' Gem of the Ocean ' is, in reality, but little known to the world at large. Small as it is, only a dot in a vast ocean, it is, or at least might be made, one of the most fertile and productive of the English Colonies. Its mountain scenery is grand, and its singularly formed rugged peaks supply an endless fund for reflection. No where is the ' stone-book of Nature ' more widely opened, so that ' he who runneth may read.' Its waterfalls, its caverns, its wild forest lands, must ever be sources of pleasure to all who choose to seek for them. Its coasts afford the naturahst never-ending stores for collection and study, and all these go far to make up for the many things so totally deficient in Mauritius ; in fact, they make

PREFACE.

. VI life bearable, which would be without them a dull monotone. On my receiving my appointment as Consul to this Island, I sought in vain for information respecting it. With the exception of Baron Grant's work, written more than a hundred years ago ; notes by an old French officer quite as ancient, and a few scattered magazine articles, I could find nothing. I therefore determined to note everything I saw ; and gain information of all kinds relative to this interesting place, and the present volume is the result. To those gentlemen who have assisted me so courteously by the use of their books, or with personal information, I beg to return my most sincere thanks. In a second volume, nearly completed, I purpose treating more fully on the Fauna and Flora of Mauritius. I am aware much has been written on both, but am equally aware (often to my disappointment) that such writings have been mostly confined to articles sent to various literary institutions, that he entombed in their records, unavailable to the general reading public.

I have tried to give a fair but brief account of every thing without prejudice ; and if the reader, when he (or she) lays down my book, should say, he has gained new ideas, and a fair knowledge of the Island and its capa bilities, or even had some hours' amusement, I shall feel my 'jottings by the way ' have not been all labour in vain. I would say a word about the title of my book.

PREFACE.

. VII Everybody has heard all about the Dodo, once existent in Mauritius, but many are not aware of the very beautiful bird the Aphanapteryx imperialis, coexistent with it, a sketch of which is on the title-page, and whose ex quisite red silky plumage might vie with the handsomest birds of the present era.1 Nicolas Pike. U.S. Consul, Port Louis, Mauritius. Nov. 1872. 1 A full description of this bird will be given in a future volume. CONTENTS.

Chapter I

; PAGE Leaving Home — Ball at Piney Point — In the Gulf Stream — St. Thomas — Santa Cruz — Guadaloupe — Mr. Chaplain's Death — Barbadoes — Pernambuco — Olenda — Rio — Description of the City — Public Gardens — Emperor's Garden —A Night in the Forest — Excursion up the Corcovada — Snakes — Descent — Public Squares — Departure from Rio ... 1

Chapter II. Eastward Bound

Bad Weather — Catching an Albatross — Accident to Captain — Brilliance of Southern Constellations — Serious Consequences of killing an Albatross — Whale Brit — Tristan d'Acunha— Its History — Chemical Barometer, and how to make it — Arrival in Simon's Bay — Description of Country — Cape Sheep — Hottentot Venus — The Pilot — Baboons— A Night in the Mountains — Ascent of Table Mountain — Principal Features of Cape Town — Harbour Lights — A Cape Waggon — Churches — Masonry — The Government — A Dutch Boer — Road from Cape Town to Simon's Bay — Adieu to the Cape — A Hurricane — Hints on Cyclones — Mauritius at last

Chapter III. Arrival In Mauritius

First Impressions of Port Louis from the Sea — Landing — A Night in the best Hotel — The Harbour — Architecture of Houses — Chauss.e — Principal Streets — Place d'Armes — Government House — Government Street — Theatre — Champ de Mars — Labourdonnais Street — Mineral Spring — Water — New Town — Plaine Verte — Company's Gardens — Bazaar — Mok.i Street — Railway Depot — Barracks — College — Ghurches — Mosque — Barbers — Masonic Lodgfs CONTENTS. X PAGE 72 Ill

Chapter IV. Pamplemousses Gardens

M. Poivre — Description of Gardens — Centre Avenue — Obelisk — Lakes — Sago Walk — Avenue of Fine Trees — Effects of Hurricane — Nursery — Boabab — Grassy Slope — Mr. Home's Cottage — Curious Trees near it — Dr. Meller's House — Fernery — Bernadin St.-Pierre — Loss of the St. Geran — Captain's Death — And that of the Two Lovers — Tombs of Paul and Virginia .

Chapter V. The Races

The Beginning of Racing in Mauritius — Unprofitableness of Races — Horses very inferior — Rules and Regulations up to Newmarket Mark — No Information to be got — Preparations for Races — Race Monday — General Excitement — The Race — Jockeys — The Loges — Saturday —Scenes in Bazaar — Costumes — Nautch Girls — Toilettes — Painful Case of Take-in — Return Home 83

Chapter VI. The Epidemic Op Mauritius

On Fevers generally — Malarious Fever in 1866 — Distress in the Districts — Symptoms of the Fever — Complications — Effects of Quinine — Remedies — The Fever, Malarious — Causes of Fever — Spores — Ague Plants — Causes of Malarious Fever at Port Louis — At Grand River — The Lowlands — Destruction of Trees — Sad Scenes — Funerals — The Western Cemetery — Fete des Morts — Cemetery of Bois Marchand ...... 90

Chapter VII. The Cyclone Of

1868. The Direction of the Winds, &c, from Feb. 27 to March 5 — Premonitory Symptoms — Changes from oth to 11th — Direction of Cyclone — Its Track on the Ocean — D.images in Port Louis — Destruction of Churches, Warehouses, &c. — Effects in the Harbour — Irving Lodge — Scenes in the Streets — Grand River Bridge— Midland and Southern Districts — Reduit — Pamplemousses — Effects on the Sea-shore — Table of Losses. Deaths, &c.

Chapter VIII

A TRIP TO THE ARSENAL. Our Road — Arrival at Balaclava — Description of House and Grounds — Flour Mill — Distillery —Patent Fuel — School for Indian Children — Lime Kilns — Geology of the Coast CONTENTS. XI

Chapter IX. The Geology Of Mauritius

PAGE Extinct Craters— Cessation of Volcanic Action — Upheaval — Deposits at Timor and other Islands — Force of Volcanic Agency — Mountain Peaks — Flacq — Craters — Dr. Ayres on Flat Island — Original Formation of Mauritius — Submersion — Fossil Casts 129

Chapter X. The Moharrum Or Yamseh

Its Origin — Whence the name Yamseh — -The Find in the Latanier River — The Disposal of their ' Bon Dieu ' — Procession for Alms— Gouhns — How built — The Little Procession — Orgies at Plaine Verte — Colours worn by Indians — Grand Procession — The Lion — Breaking the Gouhns — Return Home — Ignorance of the Actors in Yamseh 136

CHAPTER XL

A VISIT TO ROUND ISLAND. Departure from Port Louis — The Voyage — Arrival and Difficulty of Landing — Size and Formation of the Island — The Flora — Dinner — Preparations for sleeping — Fishing— Geological Description of the Island . . . 141 -

Chapter XII. My Second Visit To Round Island

Invitation- The Voyage — Arrival — Object of Visit — My Share of the Work — Dinner — Departure of the 'Victoria' — Our Preparations for the Night, and the Storm's — ' In Thunder, Lightning, and in Rain ' — Our Exodus from the Cave — Night and Morning — Preparations for Breakfast — Entomology under Difficulties — Sail ho ! — Homeward bound — In Port Louis at last — Fauna of Round Island — Extracts from Sir H. Barkly's Report — Quotations from Letter . . ........... 15 CHAPTER XHI. A CHINESE FESTIVAL. Preparations — Joss — Description of Temple — Ceremonies — Gambling — Opera — Pantomime . . . . . . . . . .170 A CONTENTS. PAGH 178 187 194 211

Chapter XIV. An Excursion Up The Pouce Mountain

Early Morning— Begin our Ascent — Cardinal's Nest— Old Forts — Tunnel under the Pouce — The Shoulder — The Summit— Ferns — View — Entomology of the Mountain— Descent— Echo— Notes on different Ascents of the Peter Both Mountain .........

Chapter XV. Beduit

Irs Vicissitudes — Reason of its first Establishment — Alleged Establishment — Its Interior and Exterior — No Change under M. de Brillane — Anecdote of Bartolomeo — Difference of its Treatment under Sir R. Farquhar and his Successors — Mauritius threatened with Monsters — Destruction of the Cause of the Threat — Sir W. Gomm's Rule — Reduit in the Hands of Sir Henry Barkly and his Lady — Description of Scenery — Geological Features — Ghosts — Mynas -Ferns and Fernery — Ravages of Cyclone of 1868

Chapter XVI. The Marriage Ceremony Of The Madras Malabar Indians

Permission to visit a Wedding-feast — Preliminary Ceremonies — Initiation of Bridegroom — Initiation of Bride — Intermediate Ablutions and Change of Dress — Description of the Bride's second Appearance — The actual Marriage — Presents to the Groom, and his Share of the Proceedings — Only Food allowed the Wedded Pair — Sprees on the Third Day — Consummation.

Chapter XVII. Flat Island

Our Skipper — View inland — Turtle Bay — Old French Fort — Grand Baie — Whales — Cannonier's Point — Land near Grand Baie — Fishing — Gunner's Quoin — The Pass — Our Welcome — Quarantine Station — Water Supply — Wells — Plants and Trees — Our Quarters — Landing-bridge — Columba Rock— On the Reefs — Corals — Polyps — Zoophytes — Algæ — Palisade Bay — Lighthouse — Cemetery — The Mountain — Geological Features — Caves— Gabriel Island — The Quoin — Detached Rocks on Mountain — Volcanoes supposed to have been in this Vicinity — Return . . . 200 CHAPTER XVHI. LA CHASSE. The Hunting Season in Mauritius — Game preserved — An Invite — On the Way totheMeet — Our Posts — TheQuartiersMilitaires — Howl obeyed Orders — Our Game — Ferns —Our Comrades' Luck — Our Count — A Wild Boar — Return from the Chasse — Distribution of Game — Description of Cocbon Marron CONTENTS. XIII

Chapter XIX

A HINDOO FESTIVAL. PAGE Deities principally worshipped at this Fete — Temple at Roche Bois — Dress of both Sexes — The Old Man and his Jugglery — Burning and Flogg.ng — Priests and Dancing Girls — Indian Musical Ideas — Walking through Fire — Sham Human Sacrifice — January Fete — Crowds in Attendance — Gouhns — The Priest's Blessing — Refreshments — Jewellers plying their Trade — Idols — Torture as a Means to fulfil a Vow, or secure future Benefits — Rolling round the Temple — Breaking Cocoa-nuts — The Tank — Ordeal by Diving — Sinnatambou — Precepts of the Shastras in Reference to these degrading Rites 22J

Chapter XX. Across Country To The Dya-mamou And Other Falls

Advice to Stay-at-homes — Invitation — Leaving the City — Into the Woods to Frfeanges — Ravenalas — Dhoodie — Night and Morning — Rain no Effect on our Spirits — Contrast of Colour in Woods — Our Guide and Woodsmen — Ferns — Banks of the Riviere du Poste — Grand River, SE. — The Dya- Mamou — The Caves —Cascade of Roche Platte — Back into the Woods — A Path for us, Death to the Shrubs and Creepers — Carias — Wasps' Nests — Swallows' Cave — A Skull — Story of Slave Woman — The Return — Incredulity of Friends .......... 235

Chapter XXI. On The Sea, In And Near Port Louis Harbour, With

DESCRIPTIONS OF SOME OF THE WONDERS THEREIN. Start from Home — Embarking at the Trou Fanfaron — Docks, &c. — LandiDg Bullocks — Scarcity of Shipping — Timber-ship unloading — Abundance of Fish — Clearness of Water — Finding Caulerpa and Haliophila — Description of Hydrometridæ — Errantia — Coasts of Mauritius — Reefs and Fringing Corals — Their Polyps — Boat touching the Reefs — Sharks and other Monsters — Echinas — Fishing up Corals — Their Inhabitants — Fungi Agariciformis — Preparing Corals for Sale — The Beauty of the Depths — Origin of Barkly — Barkly Island — Its Shells and Algæ— Aquariums — Crabs under the Rocks — Surface Corals of Species I have not hitherto found — Champagne Bottles ; the vinous Fumes equally mischievous to Man and Reptiles — Actinias — Pugnacious Eels — Breakfast — Tea versus Beer or Brandy— Dragging the Tide-pools — Flying Laffs — Gymnobranchiata — Soldier and Hermit Crabs — Leaving the Island — Examining the Contents of Fishermen's Bags — Ourites — Lobsters — Butterflies out at Sea — Holothuroida. — Overboard to dig up Pinnæ — Dolabella Rumphii Shells — Tropic Birds — The Mud Laffs — Terrible Wounds inflicted by them — Sunset Visions — Return to the Trou Fanfaron ....... CONTENTS. 327 351

Chapter XXII

A TOUR ROUND THE ISLAND. PAGE My Comrades and Preparations — Grand River — Kœn.ig's Tower — Race-jockeys — Denmark Hill — Point aux Caves — Caverns — Probable Origin of the Petite Riviere Caverns — Strange Sights — A Night on the Rocks — Fishing a la Patatrand — Plaines of St. Pierre — Grand Prospect from our Dining-room — Fight _ with a Tazarre — Rempart River — The Trois Mamelles — Catching Prawns — Tamarind River and Bay — Catching Olives — Raspberries— Rats and Tenrecs Sharers in our Bedroom — Up the Bed of tho River — Our Night's Lodging — Point Flinders— Account of Captain Flinders — The Tamarind i'alls — Geneve Estate — Black River — The Morne — Flying Foxes— Baie du Cap— A Python Creeper — The Chamarel Falls — The Bel Ombre Estate — Jacotet Bay — Its Historic Interest — Effect of the Winds on the neighbouring District — River des Galets — Actinias —A Marine Garden — Night-fishing — Falls of the River des Galets — Bay of Souillac — The Savane — The Bois Sec — Tree Ferns — Grand Bassin — Savane Falls — River du Poste — The Coast near the Souffleur — Pont Naturel — Bras de Mer de Chaland — Point d'Esny — Grand Port — Isle Passe — Mahebourg — The Cemetery 282

Chapter XXIII. Visit To The Isle De Passe, And Continuation Of Tour

Preparation for Visit — River Creoles — Crater in Mahebourg Bay — Isle de Passe — The Return — Aground — En route again — Point au Diable — Mountain Ranges — Camisard — Its Geology — Ferns, &c. — Grand River SE. — The Falls — The Beauchamp Estate — Statue to the Virgin — Trou d'Eau douce — Point Hollandais — Annclides — Holothuriæ, &c. — Flacq — General Description — St. Antoine — Amber Island — Caverns — Islets in Mapou Bay — Polyp — Sunset — Arrival of English Fleet in Mapou Bay — Holieanthm semicirc-ulatus — Battle with a Cave Eel — Situation of Pamplemousses — The Gardens and Churches — On the Road to Port Louis — Cemetery ol Bois Marchand — Peter Both — St. Croix — Olden Boundaries of Port. Louis and Defences — The City and its Cries ....

Chapter XXIV. The History Of Mauritius

From its Discovery by the Portuguese, in 1505, through the various Changes of Government it has undergone during its Possession by the Dutch, then by the French, and lastly, by the English, to February CONTENTS. XV I-AGH

Chapter XXV. Brief Summary Of The Geography Of Mauritius, Its Depen- Dencies

CIVIL AND MILITARY STATISTICS, VARIOUS INDUSTRIES, COMMERCE, ETC. The Geography of Mauritius— Its Physical Aspect and Climate — Its Dependencies — Account of Seychelles — Internal Communication — Post Office and Foreign Telegraph Scheme — Hackney Coaches, &c. — Defences, Military, Police and Naval — Money, Weights and Measures — Banks — Credit Foncier, &_. — The various Industries of Mauritius — Foreign Commerce — Decadence of Commercial Affairs generally . . . . . .412

Chapter XXVI. The Government Of Mauritius And Its Various Establishments, With The

DIFFERENT RELIGIONS IN THE COLONY. The Chief Officers of the Government — The various Departments — Savings' Bank — Episcopal Church of Port Louis — Other Protestant Churches in the Colony — Roman Catholic Sacred Edifices — Convents — Mohammedan Mosque — Its Worship — Fast and Feast — Catholic Fete-Dieu — Procession — Raising the Host, &c. . . . . . . . . . .441

Chapter XXVII. The

liOYAL COLLEGE, PRIVATE AND GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS, AND THE MUSEUM. Schools when the Island was under French Rule — M. Boyer — Assistance given to him — Rules aud Course of Instraetion in the Colonial College — Its Use as a Hospital — Its Rehabilitation, and new Title — Pupils sent to the Royal College from Abroad — Hurricane in 1824 — Repairing Damages — A Pupil sent yearly to England — Disciplinary Reform by Mr. Redle — Causes of Failure — A more practical Education required— A new Rector and new Hopes - Schools suffering from the Fever in 1867 — English taught, but small Results — Effect and Show too much sought tor in Education — Music — Boys' Schools — Government Schools — Unwillingness of Coolies to be taught — Sums collected notwithstanding Fever — Curious Notes on the Effect of Fever on various Studies — Oriental and Creoae Characters— Course of Studies — Number of Schools, Teachers, &c. — Visit to the •Asile' — State of the Place when first occupied— Its present Aspect — Varied Races — Products of Grounds — Rules and Regulations— Dinner — Drill— Bed-time — First Natural History Society — Its Aims— Its Prospects under Governors Farquhar and Hall — The Society of 1829 — Baron Cuvier — Foreign Correspondents and Members — Allowance for a, Curator— MM.

Desjardins and d'Epinay — The Society's Name in 1847 — Exhibitions — The one in 1860 -Early Morning Scenes at an Exhibition — Ordinary Articles exhibited — The Visitors — Collections in the Museum — Paintings - — M. Louis Bouton CONTENTS. XVI PAGE 469

Chapter XXVIII. Immigration

A new Era for English Colonies — When and How the Abolition Act was brought in Force — Number of Slaves — Introduction of Coolies — Bad Management — Valuation of Slaves — Ex-Apprentices — Immigration renewed — Cholera — Agricultural Progress — Changed Condition of Malabars after residing here — Tickets and Photographs — Camps — Fever — Death-Rate — Report of Mr. Beyts — Cost of Establishment and other Statistics — Arrears of Wages — Immigration Tables — Facts respecting various Castes of Indians

Chapter XXIX. Sugar And The Sugar-cane

Its History — Mode of Culture — Parasites that attack it — Its Manufacture — Amount exported and Monetary Value — Dr. Icery's Process . . . 490

Appendix

. Letter of Surwurrah ., .fill LIST OF ILLUSTKATIONS. PAGE The Author and his Collection . . . . . Frontispiece View of St. Thomas To pace 4 SUGAR-LoAF HlLL 27 Table Mountain 29 Tristan d'Acunha 33 Port Louis To pace 57 Statue of Labourdonnais, Place d'Armes 59 Theatre, Port Louis . . . . . • . . . .61 Cathedral, Port Louis .......... 70 Tropical Lake Scene . 76 The Races at the Champ de Mars, Port Louis . . . To pace 83 Pond Scene 127 The Moharrum or Yamseh To face 136 A Fern 151 A Butterfly 186 Tropical Scene 192 Lighthouse Rock, Flat Island 206 The Gunners Quoin 207 Deer in the Jungle . . To face 214 Butterfly ............ 217 Polyp Eggs. Different Developments of the Polyps .... 254 Submarine View ........... 272 Mud Laff LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. XVIII PAGE The Ocean 28° Les Trois Mamelles ■ To face 294 **02 The Tamarind Mountains " The Morne . . - 304 The Chamarel Falls To face 309 Baie du Cap ' . . . . ,,310 The Bat of Souillac ,,31/ Grand Bassin ,,319 Cascade of the River Savane ..-■•■ •> 320 The Souffleur .......... ,,321 Le Pont Naturei .'.'... .. 322 Point au Diable ........•■• 326 Mahebourg Barracks .......... 329 Camping ............. 337 New Mapou Bay 344 Protestant Church 347 Sketch of Island ........... 350 Pistache Nut ............ 462 Creole sitting ............ 474 Indian Woman ............ 475 Indian Man and Woman .......... 476 Indian Woman and Child 486 Larva and Pupa.

Diseased Sugar-Cane ....... 501 Cane-Plant 503 The Author's Dog ' Quixf' ......... WmwmlfbrPUtah Sub-Tropical ftambUe. -j, , Mbtohml I ■'''■■ >'■< BuUdmge, t88 flM StrfionJow. SUB-TBOPICAL BAMBLES.

Chapter I

Leaving Home — Ball at Piney Point. — In the Gulf Stream — St. Thomas — Santa Cruz — Guadaloupe — Mr. Chaplain's Death — Barbadoes — Pernambuco — Oleuda — Rio — Description of the City — Public Gardens — Emperor's Garden — A Night in the Forest — Excursion up the Corcorada — Snakes — Descent — Public Squares — Departure from Rio. On being appointed Consul for the Island of Mauritius, a passage, through the politeness of the Secretary of the Navy, was offered me in the United States steamer ' Monocacy,' of 1 ,030 tons, carrying ten guns, and commanded by Captain S. P. Carter, formerly Major-General Carter of the army. This ship was built for river service, but not being completed before the termination of the war, she was detailed for foreign service. As we put in at many places on my way to my distant appointment, I shall take a few notes at random from my journal, which may interest those whose tastes lead them to foreign travel, while their occupations prevent them visiting places so very foreign.

On August 18, 1866, we weighed anchor from the navy yard at Washington, and steamed down the Potomac, the day bright and calm as could be wished. We passed many fortifications on the Maryland side, now happily dismantled of their guns, and then slowly steamed by Alexandria. Before the war this was a thriving place of business. Now most of the stores are closed, and grass grows in the once busy streets. This city contained more rabid secessionists at the commencement of the Rebellion B A NEGRO BALL. [Ch. I. 2 than any other. It was here the rebels planted on the Marshal House their bars and stars, which, to the annoyance of ail true and loyal men, could be plainly seen at Washington. In the evening we anchored off Piney Point, Virginia, and I went on shore with Captain Carter. There was a ball at the hotel we visited, and we were politely invited to join in the dance, but declined the honour, and took our seats as spectators.

The band consisted of six darkies, playing a violin, cornet-a piston, flute, banjo, bones, and triangle. An old grey-headed man called out the figures with most amusing gesticulations, and contortions of face and body, as he gave out at the top of his voice : ' Gemmen to de right, misses to de les; go in dar boys, the war am over, we all broders once more ! ' and then, casting a look at me, ' Massa's from de North, good times am coming.' The ladies were dressed in fashionable style, very decolletees, and the fun went on ' fast and furious.' Soon tired of this, we went into the bar-room, where two darkies were busily mixing brandy smashes and mint juleps for the waiting crowds. There were a good many boarders in the house, as the neighbourhood supplied excellent sport for the angler, and is noted for oysters.

Most of the gentlemen were Southerners ; but when they saw that we were United States Government officers, they treated us with great politeness, conversed freely on the late war, ad mitted that a great mistake had been made, and wished by gones to be by-gones. In the morning we left Piney Point, steamed through Chesapeake Bay, passed Fortress Monroe, and the Rip Raps, Norfolk, and Portsmouth, and entered Gosport navy yard. Here we coaled, took in eighty more men, the balance of our crew, and then went into the dry dock for some alterations. The ' Monocacy ' was a new, untried vessel ; and from her conduct hitherto she had inspired the crew with great distrust of her sailing capacities and seaworthiness, but I confess I did not share their fears. On the 28th we got in our shot and shell, and on the 29th were towed out to the Hampton Roads, and made fast to the Government buoys, whilst the deviation of the compass was ascertained.

Ch. I.] THE GULF STREAM. 3 I amused myself with capturing some of the pretty medusæ sailing round about the ship. Some of them I had never seen, particularly one of a chestnut colour, the body about three inches in diameter, with tentaculæ more than a yard long, and others of a pale blue, radiating all the hues of the solar spectrum. I caught up some sea-weeds too, prominent among which were the Ceramium rubrum, Fucus nodosus and vesiculosus, Ulva linza, Entoromorpha intestinalis, and several species of Caltithamnium, all common to our coast. On August 30 the pilot took us out, and after passing Fort Henry we bade adieu to the United States, and were soon under way for the broad Atlantic. It was with saddened feelings I looked my last on the shores of my native land, and thought, ' It may be for years, or it may be for ever,' I was saying adieu to home and friends.

Once out at sea, order began to reign in the ship ; the men were mustered, and articles of war read, sails unfurled, and the monotony of ship life began. By September 3 we were running down the Gulf Stream, with splendid weather. This remarkable stream has its fountain-head in the Gulf of Mexico, and its mouth in the Arctic Sea, and has a current more rapid than the Mississippi or Amazon. The velocity of this current, however, varies greatly. Accord ing to Dana, ' Off Florida it is from three to five miles per hour, and in the Polar current has a rate of less than one mile. It is of great depth.' Dr. Franklin was of opinion that the Gulf Stream was formed by the escaping waters, forced into the Carribean Sea by the trade winds, and that the pressure of these winds upon the waters of this ocean forced up a head sea.

It is stated that the chemical properties, or (if the expression be admissible) the galvanic properties, of the Gulf Stream waters, as they come from their fountains are different, or rather more intense than they are in sea-water generally. In 1843 the Secretary of the Navy took measures for procuring a series of experiments and observations with regard to the corrosive effects of sea-water upon the copper sheathing of ships. With patience, care, and labour, these researches were carried on for ten years, and the fact has been established [Ch. I. THE ISLAND OF ST. THOMAS. 4 that the copper on the bottom of ships cruising in the Carri bean Sea and Gulf of Mexico suffers more than in any other part of the ocean. That is, the salts in these waters create the most powerful galvanic battery that is found in the ocean.

Professor Harvey states that the vegetation has a strong resemblance to that of the Mediterranean. ' Sea-weeds are borne on the Gulf Stream in such quantities, and thrown off the inner side of the current into the great area of still water in the centre of the Atlantic, that a part of it takes the name of the Sea of Sargasso,, from the name of a common weed of the order Fucaceœ.' On the evening of the 7th a heavy squall struck the vessel. Fortunately we were prepared for it, and had everything secured. It lasted all night ; the rain fell in torrents, the thunder rolled deeply, and the vivid flashes of the lightning were blinding. The gale reached its height at ten o'clock a.m. on the 8th, after which it gradually subsided, and land was sighted from the mast-head. It proved to be St. Thomas, one of the islands of the West Indian group.

Towards evening we were close in, but had great difficulty in getting a pilot, and it was ten o'clock at night be fore we were safely anchored. The town of St. Thomas, which is the capital, is prettily situated at the base of a lofty ridge of mountains, which extends the whole length of the island, some of whose highest peaks rise to the altitude of 1,700 feet. The island is about twelve miles long by three or four broad. It belongs to Denmark, is a free port, and has a larger commerce than any other West Indian island. It is the general rendez vous of our men-of-war, which have a special anchorage ; there is also a government coal depot there. It has a dry dock, but no iron-foundries, so that no metal work for shipping can be repaired. On Sunday I attended the Episcopalian Church, where the minister gave a very impressive sermon from the second verse of the third chapter of St. James' Epistle.