New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-14
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
PIXIES MAURITIUs
euB-TRQpICAL RAMBIES. BY NICOLAS PIKE. evo
nm Harnar A RrOfhcra.

The principal interest OF this volume conslsts IN
1ts descriptive sketches Of the natural history of
Mauritius. in which island the author has resided
sor several years as u. S. consul. He left this
country in the Summer of 1885, in Government
vessel and after voyage of nearly five months, ar
rived at his place of destination in the month of
January 1867. His first impressions of the city of
Port Louis soon dispeed any romantic imaginations
which he mi ght have gathered from the pictures OF
DoYelwriteIs.
We wendell our way to the Hotel Univers said TO be
the best through dirty, narrow street ana entering
low srchway, were ushered ny colored waiter into
n damp. Ml-ventated low-ceilinged room. IN which
bar and three billiard tables; and gentlemen OF
color were amusing themselves knocking over wooden
pins placed the tables with billiard balls.
Persons OF various coOrs were smoking pipes and
The room The landlord comeiy, weil-spoken French
man, soon made his appearance. asked me to walk up
street through which ran one OF the hhest streams
my eyes rested This room about ten feet
tQuare, and contained ian bedstead covered with
musketo netting, table and some chairs. Ventilation
there was none except from the door as not window
had evidently been open for time. made an
agreement with the landlord for g so per diem, ana heh
went TO the Cnstomhouse TO see after the rest OF
baggage. returned about O'Clock. when was shown
Into the dningroom, which nad saa, tables p.accu o
everything was brought from below in little dishes
eg was brought snohered in parsley, with potato
81 beefsteak-and DalfadoZen such would not supply
the appetite OF hungry Inan-and eNelStnhS odse was
served infinitesma doses niisetaby cooked.
strOled out in the evening into the " Dqmpaniy
Gardens" which opposite to the hotel! why caled
gardens 1 knew not neither flower nor shrub grew
there; only some fine banIsn and either trees shaueu
returned to my dirty, uncomfortable hotel and, after
passing miserable night rose at daynght weary anu
SICK What with bugs musketoes, and cockroaches 80
ray nothing of centpedes six inches long ,, TIC knock
eosspng of the colored servants sleep was npos
sibe. Tho musketocurains were not properly DeStum,
and whole families lay in wait for their unsuspeeung
victim; tie cockroaches ate my clothes, te ans so'
antO my trunks lizards crept the walls ana la's'
AOl ag
What delightful place TO live ~, thought b ~
Iess those Obliged TO nut up with second and third
rlass, which must contain yerinin enough 70 "eSuoJ
regiment OF soldiers.
The tombs of Paul and Virginia are still pointed
nut AT Pampemousses but the captivating narrative
Of ST. Pierre is shown by the author 10 nave Oeeh
founded on slender basis offacts.
Bernadin ST. Perre's weLknown and interesting
has spread sort OF halo round MaurltlS ior
nigh century and 10 those who never visited the
ISLAND II viii stl have charms But one mas Only 70 pe
there few days before the positive aosurdltcs Al
Writers OF romances whom about to draw largely on
their imagnatous, should he very careful to conceal
the acfua whereabouts of their for this
hisc age. when and electricity anninlate Tune
and space when the most distant corners OF the EARN
arr better known than scotland Ireland century
ago Is sure take the romance OF mystery out OF
lhem and display their ridiculous slde "hen %uuoeu "
The following narration will show on what ST. Pierre
founded his tale:
In 1874 drouth and lOcusts had occasioned terrible
scarcity in the Isle of France and me - GeIn Mas
the mother country 10 assist the Governor name NC
IabourdOnnais, richly laden witharns and.pI DIVISIONS
This dOubly needed on account OF Tue IalltIe o
several large vessels just returned from Indla III pro
The ST. Geran was in sight OF Round Island at p
and the captain, NJ de la Marie. wished 10 profit 10y
dne moonlight night to enter TOmbeau Bay, but IL was
afterward decided 10 lie 10 Till next day. I'm consequence
the reef toward three IN the morning about League from
Ihe coast, and the same distance from Isle dAm9rS;
with violence the breakers. 100,
Every effort made TO lower The boats, but the
q
carried them away The keel soon after breakng IN me
sndde. engulfed the center, and fixed the exrentes
Oi the ship the reefs.
M dc la Mares request, the chaplain pronounced
p general benedicou and dissolution, and the Ave
Maria stella" sung.
Numbers Of the flung themselves into the sea- on
panks yards oars ything that offered hold but,
away by the currents, and tossed by the
sailor named Caret made the greatest efforts save
III de la Marie He imporod him 10 take on MS clothes,
the dignity Of ms position to land without them"
Caret at length succeeded in placing his captain on 2
plank. and the intrepid fellow swan long time through
the strong currents dragging the plank after hiin;
M5pe he Would be- ae oa IT, and left
Caret for the aft. PlungiDe 20 avoid collision,
the latter, he slowly rose 10 the surface again. Iound
horror that raft and men all had disappeared, en-
THre were W. ON hoard two lovers Mdlc Mallet and
NJ. de Pelamon who were 70 be united ia marriage on
The Young man as anxious and agitsted as the girl
calm and resigned when the others LETT, was max
ing a OF raft which 10 her who was dearer
than his own lite on hs knees ne impored ner 10 de-
with him tie fra but sole hope OF safety and
n y
the er part OF her garments she steadily
fused When he found his most earnest soliea-
cquonty all hope OF saving her lost
though she entreated HIM TO leave her, he quietly TOOK
from pocketbo0k Of her hair, kissed IT, and
placed II HE With ms round her TO shield
her AZ cOuld 10 the last he calmly awaited the
terrible catastrophe her side had they long TO
wat for they were soon washed from the deck, and
their bodies were picked ny at Ionbedu Bay ~, .
were saved and made known the details of the ship
wreck This disaster the more frightfu as IL took
place az season ot the year which - AWAY calm IN
these regions, ana It only be attributed 20 the i'm
prudence OF The officers and their entire ignorance of
The two tombs shown those Of Paul
ans Virginia two commonplace b1ck and
mortar structures, Whi,ewdshed' or ~ least they
were years Hso. They are situated IN what
was a hne garden. little rYulet hOWlng between
them, and shaded by beautiful palms ana lcahefy pam
had soecial mission from romantic young lady to
flowers TIE toInbs as precious reDos
bad Ieiate, when visited them there mad been heavy
rains-ihe whole place was a swamp, ana could not
get within "a hundred yards Of them. However, gath
cred lew rose leaves from another part of the garden,
which ( do moi doubt answered equally ~ well.
Now, instead or the silence ano secluson once sur
station IL within few yards of ~ the horses go
laundering by, aud the progress OF steam has caused
consequent decline IN romance IN Maur.tius as well as
elsewhere
z sngularly interesting chapter if devoted to the
account of an excursion the sea near Port Louis
Haibor in Whics The author is rewarded by the
sight of strange nondescript wonders Of the deep,
who had probably never before sat, OF SWIM, for
tbeir portraits The whole harbor in fact was alive
with iish, and the strokes Of the oars constantly
startled shoals OF Inulets that sprang out of the
water their silver sides glistening in the The
eorals at the bottom were distinctly seen. As the
water became warmed by the sun, myriads of little
white dots long legs, appeared skimmnG
over the surface al the swiftest pace.
These curious insects, they proved to
he, possessed the faculty of swimming on
the back. They were very agile, and spraDg mp the
Ief with such marvellous CELEBRITY, that 1T was diff
,lt IN cant1lr mnre lhan two or three in the net.