w.
From all I saw and heard, the overseer was well worthy of the confidence
placed in him. A very tempting repast was soon prepared for us, to
which we were well inclined to do ample justice. At first Ricama would
not sit at table with us, but we entreated him to do so, nor could the
most polished Englishman have behaved in a more appropriate manner. He
was perfectly free and unembarrassed in his conversation, and gave us a
great deal of information about the island.

Before it grew dark we took a turn in the garden, where he showed us the
Indian rubber tree, the tea plant, and many other trees and plants which
Mr Coventry had wished to cultivate. With regard to the Indian rubber
tree, the doctor said that it was only one of many trees producing
caoutchouc--the _Ficus elastica_, I believe. To produce it the tree is,
during the rainy season, pierced, when a yellowish-white coloured and
thickish juice runs out into the vessels prepared to receive it. If
kept in a corked air-tight bottle, it will remain liquid and retain its
light colour for some time. Heat coagulates it, and separates the juice
from the Indian rubber. If exposed to the air in thin films, it soon
dries. In this way it is prepared for exportation:--lumps of clay,
generally in the shape of bottles, are spread over with successive
coats, and to hasten the process dried over fires, the smoke from which
gives the black colour which it generally possesses at home. The marks
we see on the Indian rubber bottles we buy are produced by the end of a
stick before they are quite dry.

"How wonderful are the ways with which Nature supplies our wants!"
observed the doctor. "Not only do trees give us fruit in every variety
of shape, consistency, and flavour, but even their juices minister to
our gratification. How many valuable gums do they exude! The
maple-tree of North America gives excellent sugar, and certainly the
discovery of caoutchouc has added very much to our comfort and
convenience. Just think of the number of elastic articles, the
waterproof dresses, the piping, and even the boats which are made with
it."

Ricama assisted us to pick some leaves from the tea plants, with which,
in their raw state, we afterwards made an infusion, and we found it
differ little from ordinary tea, except that it possessed a richer
aromatic flavour and scent.

Ricama told us that great numbers of his countrymen came over to the
Mauritius, and among others the son