CHAP. II. CURIOUS MODE OE TAKING SNUFF. 31 nature of the feelings entertained towards his country by the government and people at Mauritius, and expressed him self very desirous that all impediments to the re-opening of the trade might be removed. Leaving his garden, we walked through a part of the vil lage, and reached the custom house, which seemed to be a place of general resort for a number of the residents and ' strangers. We conversed some time with the chief custom house officer, who could make himself understood in French. He spoke of the native Christians, and said that the punish ments inflicted the last time they were discovered were so severe, and so many had been put to death, that but few besides the prince and some of the queen’s relations re mained. He said he greatly regretted the closing of the schools, and often spoke with evident satisfaction of his own son having gained a prize or honour at one of the latest examinations which were held before public teaching was discontinued, adding, that all the chiefs earnestly desired education for their children, and that the youth of the coun try were themselves eager after knowledge. I was much amused on this occasion, and often afterwards, with the manner in which the chiefs and people generally indulge their taste for an article resembling snuff, a native manufacture comprising other ingredients besides the pul verised leaf of tobacco, such as salt, and the ashes of a native herb, which mixture is regularly sold in the markets. The retinue of every chief or officer of any rank includes a hearer of what we should call his snuff-box. Those officers who attend on a superior, or are unattended by their own slaves, carry this article of luxury in some part of their dress, fre quently suspended from the girdle, and concealed under the folds of their lamba; and we sometimes met a traveller with his snuff-box suspended from his neck, who seemed almost destitute of everything else except the most scanty clothing.