nd
defend it from our enemies, not an entire regiment is to be found in the
whole island, while the French have in the island of Reunion, formerly
called Bourbon, a force of not less than six thousand men, ready to take
advantage of any dispute which may occur between the two countries, and
to pounce down upon the Mauritius once more, to make it what the French
still call it--an isle of France. The blacks from Mozambique, we were
told, do all the rough and dirty work in the city, such as dragging the
sugar casks down to the quays, and loading the vessels. They seemed a
merry set; and Dr Cuff and I could not help stopping to watch some of
them, as they met each other, indulging in their hearty laughs, one with
a cocked hat and feather on his head, and another with a round hat which
even an Irish carman might decline to wear. What their jokes were about
it was impossible to tell. One would say something, and then the other
would answer him, and both would burst into the most absurdly noisy
roar, turning back to back to support each other, then clinging
together, rising, and falling, and twisting, and turning, and finally
rolling over on the ground, as if completely overcome. It seemed a
matter of constant occurrence, for no one stopped even to take notice of
these strange performances. I know that I felt inclined to burst into
laughter too, either for very sympathy, or on account of the
ridiculousness of the scene.

My grandfather's estate was, I found, about fifteen miles from Port
Louis. The people at the hotel said they knew him, but that they had
not seen him for months. However, that was not extraordinary, as he
often went a whole year without coming into the city. I asked the
doctor to accompany me, which, as he was anxious to see the island, he
consented to do. We hired two horses, and a black man who was to act as
our guide, take care of our steeds, and carry our luggage. This
consisted chiefly of a change of linen and trousers, which the doctor
put into a tin case, to preserve the things from the attacks of the
numerous insects in the island, who would quickly eat them up. Solon
followed us on foot. Our guide carried in his hand a piece of
sugar-cane about six feet long, which served him as a walking-stick,
while at the same time he amused himself and kept away hunger by chewing
the upper end. Shorter and shorter grew the stick, until he had eaten
it down till it was scarcely three feet in length.