New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-12-26
NOTES ON THE MA URITIUS....Yu.
A SUGAR PLANTATION-A WEDDING-A
CONVENT

-
CONVENT.
While Whiting our hind friend Madame L., who
lives in one of the public streets, saw newly.
arrived troop Of Malabars. Many of them were
tall, finely formed, with regular features. They
marched On in great safe looking IKE procession
Of bronze statues. Cleanliness is not their beset-
ting sin; but these, wishing l suppose to make a
person al impression had, 10 addition to their silver
ornaments, NANTES ard turbans Of the whitest
muslin.
One beautiful girl, about is, particularly attracted
my attention, as she peep,d tiuidly Oas from tho
folds of her mantle. Her mother pu't have been
the original Of the Indian girl in Tns Book Of
Beauty" who is trying to make her little solar oil
lamp aail down the stream.
Msny Indians having died of cholera, these were
Immediately engaged; and two days after, while
stopping at plantation six miles from the city,
who should sac (tryipg to prevent little petted
child foom choking herself with leaves Of the Gin
namon) but the pretty Indian Of the procession.
She seemed in her proper place, wande ring about in
that grove ofspces which must remind her OF her own
land; but thought how soon che would gteve to sec
those beautiful trees cut down. as they are to be In
a few weeks, to make room for the sugar-cane
which now absOrbs the attention Of all the cultiya-
tors on the Island.
On this plantation one gees the bread fruit tree,
the water tree, and, passing on to Mr.. BIS, where
we were to dine, the road each side was bOrdsred
with aOes i'll full bloom The leaves are very large
and several feet long, From the center OF the plant
rise the tender stalks some % or 30 feet higb
gracefully bent by the weight OF the clusters OF
small white flowers on the top, and wa7iug gently
III the evening breeze. The aloe Is far fiom being
the useful plant here that it was among the Aztecs;
but hey end it we see fields of what is here the stall
Of lie-tall suear-cane growing with long reddish
feathers on the top.
Mr.. BIS plantation may be an old O1e, but it has
On air of unitarian Mt wDess truly American-his
having been leveled and trees cut down to make
room for the cane. Several fine ones were, how
ever left standing, to shade the ladys TO yer gar
cen and the house, which command very extern
siye view Of the mountains and the ocean.
We visited the sucIerie, saw the cane crushed
and the juice conducted by trougbs to a building
where it was boiled Yankee would do well to
come here and arrange some machinery by which
the hafbOiled juice can be carried from one boiler
to another.
was astonished to see the Indians carrying it
in small tubs riskng their lives at almost every
step. l shuddered lest some unucky wretch should
mt his toe and fall on the uneven floor. little In
dian was perched on the edge of the trough, taking
out the small bits of cane that could not pass the
stiainer. -,
We saw the sugar in its different stages, until
finally il appeared as the beautiful crystalzed art
Gle that looks like pulverized rock candy
The machines here are not sufficiently powerful;
thew do not crush out all the Juice This the Own-
era of SUGAR mills would llhe to have remediei.
Another thing troubles those who live IN damp
ma rts of the Islaud-the fculty Of drying the re-
hse cane to boil the sugar. There is little wood
tbat can be cut 10 be burned for this purpose, and
the stalks are not always available.
If We should have an energetic American Consui
for the Mauitius, we should zee, before long, the
sugar being boiled over American furnaces, aud
American slippers coasting Madagascar Iof coai IL
KEEP THE FURNACES AGOING.
Visited beautiful plantation about two mules
from the city. We turned from the mau ROAD ana
drove on for mile or more with the mountains on
one side of US and the ocean on the other Crossed
a little plain covered with CASEY. TINS Is Prel.y
shrub, a species Of acassia, with Little yellow oais
of down for fOwers-Odor like rbubarb. .Careiu
housewives put these flowers into closets TO banlsh
cocb reaches. ~
On the borders of the estate many hlaos. These
Are beautiful trees sort Of union OF the larch ana
hire. The lorg famelts of the tsssel are Jolnted
ike bamboo cane.
The house, or chateau. which we reach by q
vii ding syrpue, is surrounded by beautiful garcehs
laid cut with exquisite taste Here Tes'ue inc
hers-wbi,e- brothers, sisters, nephews aud wives
dam in the beautiful psvilloIs in the palm grove
near the mansion.
No ore could be more Indy welcomed than were
we Inv ever member Of this refined and Intelligent
family. Indeed, the more one sees OF the Msur =
tsns, the more one 10 charmed by them. Many "a
them, being the desceDSaUss oil hSo,e rrenoa lou" n
lies, retain all the polIteness and elegance OF n,I
DeIs Of the olden time, joined TO that scttue's ~nlcn
Southern chme usually eDgenoefs. IL luro
be to meet With people more refined or more In
teTtstng =
We saw here some Indians rsspins the roots OF
the naniCe, 10 make casseni bre4d and s1'rcn'
Tbe,e roots are Office roasted in The aches aud eaten
ike rotatoss One of the most delicious vegetables
here Is what is called csmtorc, or yaus Some are
whiie, AID others Of the deepest violet color. ihe
Last are copsidered the best They are very nice,
hoj.d and eaten in the moroing, cut intothe codse
snd min. Sweet pOts,o~s arc u.ed somtuaes 10
The sane manner, but they are not as good as 'hs
We bad touin7 maze CT tie Ins'ar cora Of III;
Iastd. Il Is Of q much deeper yellow thsn any