104 VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. CHAP. IV. board all the ships were at work until two, and on some until four in the morning, making everything secure, and that the wind, though not in this instance amounting to a hurricane, was at times so strong as to lay some of the ships quite on their sides. Notwithstanding the heavy rains, which were now frequent, I was glad whenever I could to get away to the country or mountain districts; and soon after this time I visited the Royal Gardens at Pamplemouses, seven or eight miles in a northerly direction from Port Louis. I had more than once visited them before, when I had been highly gratified by the kind attentions of Mr. Duncan, the director, and the members of his family, from whom I again received a frank and hearty welcome, with the offer of such accommodation as they could furnish for my photographic operations. So far as natural objects were concerned, no place in Mau ritius was to me so attractive as the Royal Gardens at Pam plemouses. They cover about fifty acres of most excellent ground, and are well supplied with water. They appear to have been originally laid out on a truly magnificent scale. Long walks or avenues, with stone seats at intervals on both sides, are bordered with the most rare and valuable trees of both hemispheres, interspersed with an almost endless variety of shrubs and flowers. Many improvements in the arrange ment of some portions of the grounds were in progress; and the whole seemed to be kept in as good order as the number of labourers assigned to them were capable of maintaining. Many of the useful trees and plants of Europe may be found here; and the number of choice roses recently introduced by Mr. Duncan adds greatly to the charm and variety of the attractions of the place. But the gardens are especially rich in the productions of China, India, and the Asiatic Archipe lago. Some of the most choice specimens are from Java and the adjacent islands, while there are others from the continent