Mauritius has two splendid harbours, and a number of minor ones; but Réunion has not a single harbour. Vessels anchor all round Réunion, for every place is equally safe and equally dangerous; when it comes on to blow there is nothing for it but to stand out to sea. The French Imperial Government have voted a million and a half of francs for the construction of a harbour; and there is one part of the island where this may be effected. In the hurricane months it is extremely dangerous even to approach the island—for in case of being dismasted, and the island becoming a lee shore, during the violence of the tempest there is no safety to be found in anchor or cable; and destruction awaits the barque that reaches the surrounding reefs or the surf-beaten shore.
While we were embarking the mails, I observed the small war-steamer “Mahé Lebourdonnais,” which had afforded me such valuable aid at Mozambique, when the Portuguese doctors refused to visit the patients in my house who were attacked with fever. I regretted exceedingly that I was not able to go on board to thank both the commander and surgeon for the aid they afforded me at a very trying moment, but I hope to have the pleasure of doing so at some future time.
We embarked two passengers at Réunion with the mails, and proceeded on our voyage. One of these passengers was the captain of a French merchant vessel. He was excessively amusing, and kept us company to Marseilles. It appears that he had loaded his ship in the Malay Islands with a very valuable cargo, and, having put the mate in charge to bring her to France, was travelling home express. He was a very sharp fellow, and up to everything going on at Madagascar. Finding that I had learned a little, he became very communicative, and confirmed much that I had heard.
The other passenger from Réunion was the ex-mayor of St. Denis, the capital of the island. At first he was very civil, but having learned my name, and that I was Her Majesty’s consul for Mozambique, he told his countryman that I was the destroyer of Réunion, for that I had completely stopped the French free labour emigration from Mozambique to the French island. For the remainder of the voyage I had nothing but black looks from the ex-mayor, and it was very evident that he regarded me as one who had caused him the loss of large sums of money. This led to inquiry on my part, and I learned that the ex-mayor was the principal labour importer for Réunion.
In a week after leaving Mauritius we anchored for a few hours in the magnificent harbour of Port Victoria, in the island of Mahé, the principal of the archipelago known as the Seychelles.
Proceeding on shore, we called on the acting commissioner, Mr. Charles Telfair; and as his lady was not only a countrywoman, but a namesake of my own, we at once received a “hearty Highland welcome” in this paradise of the Indian Ocean.
The following sketch of the Seychelles is principally from information afforded to me by Mr. Telfair during my short stay there, and any omission I hope may be attributed to the writer rather than to his obliging informant.
These islands, twenty-nine in number, form an archipelago which is the most considerable of the dependencies of the island of Mauritius; they extend from 3° 33′ to 5° 35′ south latitude, and from 55° 15′ to 56° 10′ east longitude; they lie at a distance of 915 miles from Mauritius, 550 miles from Madagascar, and 1500 miles from the continent of India.
The Seychelles were first discovered by the Portuguese in the sixteenth century—probably by the squadron belonging to that nation, which, under the command of Fernan Suarez, was driven upon the coast of San Lourenço or Madagascar by a hurricane, A.D. 1506.
The Portuguese called them the Seven Brothers, from a group of seven islands near Mahé.