- "Having
Personally Examined A Large Number Of Coral-Islands And Resided
Eight Months Among The Volcanic Class Having Shore And Partially
Encircling Reefs.
I may be permitted to state that my own
observations have impressed a conviction of the correctness of
the theory of Mr. Darwin." - The naturalists, however, of this
expedition differ with me on some points respecting coral
formations.
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.
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