The government officials are exceedingly well paid, but not nearly so well as in British India, though the expenses of living are much greater here. The reason is, that the climate of India is considered very unhealthy for Europeans, while that of the Mauritius is salubrious enough. The governor has a house, and £6000 a year salary.
Mr. Lambert’s country house, “Les Pailles,” to which I proceeded, is seven miles from the town, in the district of Mocca. The whole island is divided into eleven districts.
At my kind host’s I found every thing heart could desire—handsome rooms, good living, numerous servants, and the greatest independence; for Mr. Lambert drove to town every morning, and frequently did not return till the evening.
After a few days’ rest I began my wanderings through the island.
First of all, I visited the town of Port Louis. There was little enough to be seen in it. Though of tolerable size (it has a population of 50,000), it possesses not a single fine public building, with the exception of the government house and the bazar. The private houses, too, are generally small, and never exceed one story in height. The bridge across the big river—frequently so destitute of water that it can be easily forded—is built tastefully enough, only they have been so sparing of its breadth that only one carriage can go across at a time; when two meet, one has to wait till the other has passed. Governments seem to act very much like private people: so long as they have little money, or, indeed, are in debt, they are generous, and even extravagant; but from the moment when they become prosperous they grow saving and avaricious. At least this seems to be the case with the government of the Mauritius, which is much more stingy, with its well-filled chest, than our European states that are burdened with debt. Does it not show a miserable want of spirit to have such a narrow bridge in the busiest part of the town?
Two other bridges of hewn stone fairly fell in during my stay; fortunately, no one was hurt. Each governor thinks only of filling the treasury; his greatest pride is in being able to say that under his rule the surplus of income over expenditure had increased by so many thousand pounds. Acting on this principle, the present governor objected strongly to the estimates given in for the building of the two bridges, ordered that they should be constructed at a cheaper rate, and—has the pleasure of building them twice over.
The town possesses a public walk, called the “Champ de Mars,” which is, however, little frequented, and a theatre, in which a French company perform.
The rich people generally live in their country houses, and only come to town for the day.
The mode of life among Europeans and Creoles (under the latter term are understood people born on the island of white parents) is similar to that in the British or Dutch Indies. At sunrise we refreshed ourselves with a cup of coffee, brought into the bedroom; between nine and ten the bell summoned us to a breakfast of rice, curry, and a few hot dishes; and at one came a luncheon of fruit or bread and cheese. The chief meal was taken in the evening, generally after seven o’clock.
Living is very dear here. House rent, the better kind of provisions, servants’ wages, etc., are paid for at very high prices. The simplest establishment of a respectable family with three or four children costs from thirty-five to forty-five pounds per month. The staff of servants, though much smaller than in an Indian household, is as much in excess of a European one. Families who make little appearance must keep a footman, a cook, a man for carrying water and cleaning the crockery, another to wash the linen, and a couple of boys from twelve to fourteen years old. The lady of the house has, besides, a maid for herself and one or more for the children, according to their number. Those who have carriages keep a coachman for each pair of horses. The monthly wages of servants are from thirty to thirty-six shillings for a man-cook; twenty-four to thirty shillings for a footman or maid; and forty-five to ninety shillings for a coachman. Quite a common helper gets at least eighteen shillings, and the boys six shillings and their clothes: lodging is found for them, but not board. In British India fewer rupees are paid than dollars here. Domestics do not pay more for their board than four shillings a month at the most; they live on rice and red pepper, vegetables, and a few fishes, and these articles they can get for almost nothing. The servants perform their offices worse there than in any country I know, except perhaps at Amboyna in the Moluccas. Every where the visitor must bring his own servants; for if, for instance, he goes into the country and has no attendants with him, he stands a very good chance of finding his bed unmade and his water-jug empty at night. The poor housewives have great difficulty in keeping their houses in any thing like order. In India they are much better off: there the chief of the servants bears the lofty title of “major-domo,” and has the supervision of all household details. All the articles in use in the domestic economy—the plate, linen, and china—are intrusted to his keeping. He is responsible for the safety of all; he superintends the servants—reckons with them, cashiers one and engages another. If cause of discontent should arise, application is at once made to the major-domo. But here the lady of the house must herself undertake this arduous office; and as the Creole ladies are not remarkable for carefulness and love of order, it may be imagined that the interior arrangements of all households are not in the best state. I would not counsel any visitor rashly to set foot in any but the reception-room.