Iexclude，ofcourse，somesoilwhichhasbeenimportedhereinvesselsfromMalaccaandJava，andlikewise，somesmallfragmentsofpumice，driftedherebythewaves。Theoneblockofgreenstone，moreover，onthenorthernislandmustbeexcepted。
ThesewerefirstreadbeforetheGeologicalSocietyinMay，1837，andhavesincebeendevelopedinaseparatevolumeonthe“StructureandDistributionofCoralReefs。”
ItisremarkablethatMr。Lyell，eveninthefirsteditionofhis“PrinciplesofGeology。”inferredthattheamountofsubsidenceinthePacificmusthaveexceededthatofelevation，fromtheareaoflandbeingverysmallrelativelytotheagentstheretendingtoformit，namely，thegrowthofcoralandvolcanicaction。
[13]IthasbeenhighlysatisfactorytometofindthefollowingpassageinapamphletbyMr。Couthouy，oneofthenaturalistsinthegreatAntarcticExpeditionoftheUnitedStates：——“Havingpersonallyexaminedalargenumberofcoral-islandsandresidedeightmonthsamongthevolcanicclasshavingshoreandpartiallyencirclingreefs。ImaybepermittedtostatethatmyownobservationshaveimpressedaconvictionofthecorrectnessofthetheoryofMr。Darwin。”——Thenaturalists，however，ofthisexpeditiondifferwithmeonsomepointsrespectingcoralformations。PreviousChapterNextChapterTheVoyageoftheBeagle-Chapter21TheVoyageoftheBeaglebyCharlesDarwinPreviousChapterChapter21-MauritiustoEnglandAPRIL29th——InthemorningwepassedroundthenorthernendofMauritius，ortheIsleofFrance。Fromthispointofviewtheaspectoftheislandequalledtheexpectationsraisedbythemanywell-knowndescriptionsofitsbeautifulscenery。TheslopingplainofthePamplemousses，interspersedwithhouses，andcolouredbythelargefieldsofsugar-caneofabrightgreen，composedtheforeground。Thebrilliancyofthegreenwasthemoreremarkablebecauseitisacolourwhichgenerallyisconspicuousonlyfromaveryshortdistance。Towardsthecentreoftheislandgroupsofwoodedmountainsroseoutofthishighlycultivatedplain；theirsummits，assocommonlyhappenswithancientvolcanicrocks，beingjaggedintothesharpestpoints。Massesofwhitecloudswerecollectedaroundthesepinnacles，asifforthesakeofpleasingthestranger’seye。Thewholeisland，withitsslopingborderandcentralmountains，wasadornedwithanairofperfectelegance：thescenery，ifImayusesuchanexpression，appearedtothesightharmonious。
Ispentthegreaterpartofthenextdayinwalkingaboutthetownandvisitingdifferentpeople。Thetownisofconsiderablesize，andissaidtocontain20，000inhabitants；thestreetsareverycleanandregular。
AlthoughtheislandhasbeensomanyyearsundertheEnglishGovernment，thegeneralcharacteroftheplaceisquiteFrench：EnglishmenspeaktotheirservantsinFrench，andtheshopsareallFrench；indeed，IshouldthinkthatCalaisorBoulognewasmuchmoreAnglified。Thereisaveryprettylittletheatre，inwhichoperasareexcellentlyperformed。Wewerealsosurprisedatseeinglargebooksellers’shops，withwell-storedshelves；——
musicandreadingbespeakourapproachtotheoldworldofcivilization；
forintruthbothAustraliaandAmericaarenewworlds。
ThevariousracesofmenwalkinginthestreetsaffordthemostinterestingspectacleinPortLouis。ConvictsfromIndiaarebanishedhereforlife；
atpresentthereareabout800，andtheyareemployedinvariouspublicworks。Beforeseeingthesepeople，IhadnoideathattheinhabitantsofIndiaweresuchnoble-lookingfigures。Theirskinisextremelydark，andmanyoftheoldermenhadlargemustachesandbeardsofasnow-whitecolour；
this，togetherwiththefireoftheirexpression，gavethemquiteanimposingaspect。Thegreaternumberhadbeenbanishedformurderandtheworstcrimes；
othersforcauseswhichcanscarcelybeconsideredasmoralfaults，suchasfornotobeying，fromsuperstitiousmotives，theEnglishlaws。Thesemenaregenerallyquietandwell-conducted；fromtheiroutwardconduct，theircleanliness，andfaithfulobservanceoftheirstrangereligiousrites，itwasimpossibletolookatthemwiththesameeyesasonourwretchedconvictsinNewSouthWales。
May1st——Sunday。Itookaquietwalkalongtheseacoasttothenorthofthetown。Theplaininthispartisquiteuncultivated；itconsistsofafieldofblacklava，smoothedoverwithcoarsegrassandbushes，thelatterbeingchieflyMimosas。ThescenerymaybedescribedasintermediateincharacterbetweenthatoftheGalapagosandofTahiti；butthiswillconveyadefiniteideatoveryfewpersons。Itisaverypleasantcountry，butithasnotthecharmsofTahiti，orthegrandeurofBrazil。ThenextdayIascendedLaPouce，amountainsocalledfromathumb-likeprojection，whichrisesclosebehindthetowntoaheightof2，600feet。Thecentreoftheislandconsistsofagreatplatform，surroundedbyoldbrokenbasalticmountains，withtheirstratadippingseawards。Thecentralplatform，formedofcomparativelyrecentstreamsoflava，isofanovalshape，thirteengeographicalmilesacross，inthelineofitsshorteraxis。TheexteriorboundingmountainscomeintothatclassofstructurescalledCratersofElevation，whicharesupposedtohavebeenformednotlikeordinarycraters，butbyagreatandsuddenupheaval。Thereappearstometobeinsuperableobjectionstothisview：ontheotherhand，Icanhardlybelieve，inthisandinsomeothercases，thatthesemarginalcrateriformmountainsaremerelythebasalremnantsofimmensevolcanos，ofwhichthesummitseitherhavebeenblownoff，orswallowedupinsubterraneanabysses。
Fromourelevatedpositionweenjoyedanexcellentviewovertheisland。
Thecountryonthissideappearsprettywellcultivated，beingdividedintofieldsandstuddedwithfarm-houses。Iwas，however，assuredthatofthewholeland，notmorethanhalfisyetinaproductivestate；ifsuchbethecase，consideringthepresentlargeexportofsugar，thisisland，atsomefutureperiodwhenthicklypeopled，willbeofgreatvalue。SinceEnglandhastakenpossessionofit，aperiodofonlytwenty-fiveyears，theexportofsugarissaidtohaveincreasedseventy-fivefold。Onegreatcauseofitsprosperityistheexcellentstateoftheroads。IntheneighbouringIsleofBourbon，whichremainsundertheFrenchgovernment，theroadsarestillinthesamemiserablestateastheywerehereonlyafewyearsago。
AlthoughtheFrenchresidentsmusthavelargelyprofitedbytheincreasedprosperityoftheirisland，yettheEnglishgovernmentisfarfrompopular。
3rd——IntheeveningCaptainLloyd，theSurveyor-general，sowellknownfromhisexaminationoftheIsthmusofPanama，invitedMr。Stokesandmyselftohiscountry-house，whichissituatedontheedgeofWilheimPlains，andaboutsixmilesfromthePort。Westayedatthisdelightfulplacetwodays；standingnearly800feetabovethesea，theairwascoolandfresh，andoneverysidethereweredelightfulwalks。Closeby，agrandravinehasbeenworntoadepthofabout500feetthroughtheslightlyinclinedstreamsoflava，whichhaveflowedfromthecentralplatform。
5th——CaptainLloydtookustotheRiviereNoire，whichisseveralmilestothesouthward，thatImightexaminesomerocksofelevatedcoral。
Wepassedthroughpleasantgardens，andfinefieldsofsugar-canegrowingamidsthugeblocksoflava。TheroadswereborderedbyhedgesofMimosa，andnearmanyofthehousestherewereavenuesofthemango。Someoftheviews，wherethepeakedhillsandthecultivatedfarmswereseentogether，wereexceedinglypicturesque；andwewereconstantlytemptedtoexclaim，“Howpleasantitwouldbetopassone’slifeinsuchquietabodes！”CaptainLloydpossessedanelephant，andhesentithalfwaywithus，thatwemightenjoyarideintrueIndianfashion。Thecircumstancewhichsurprisedmemostwasitsquitenoiselessstep。Thiselephantistheonlyoneatpresentontheisland；butitissaidotherswillbesentfor。
May9th——WesailedfromPortLouis，and，callingattheCapeofGoodHope，onthe8thofJuly，wearrivedoffSt。Helena。Thisisland，theforbiddingaspectofwhichhasbeensooftendescribed，risesabruptlylikeahugeblackcastlefromtheocean。Nearthetown，asiftocompletenature’sdefence，smallfortsandgunsfillupeverygapintheruggedrocks。Thetownrunsupaflatandnarrowvalley；thehouseslookrespectable，andareinterspersedwithaveryfewgreentrees。Whenapproachingtheanchoragetherewasonestrikingview：anirregularcastleperchedonthesummitofaloftyhill，andsurroundedbyafewscatteredfir-trees，boldlyprojectedagainstthesky。
ThenextdayIobtainedlodgingswithinastone’sthrowofNapoleon’stomb；[1]itwasacapitalcentralsituation，whenceIcouldmakeexcursionsineverydirection。DuringthefourdaysIstayedhere，Iwanderedovertheislandfrommorningtonight，andexamineditsgeologicalhistory。Mylodgingsweresituatedataheightofabout2000
feet；heretheweatherwascoldandboisterous，withconstantshowersofrain；andeverynowandthenthewholescenewasveiledinthickclouds。
Nearthecoasttheroughlavaisquitebare：inthecentralandhigherparts，feldspathicrocksbytheirdecompositionhaveproducedaclayeysoil，which，wherenotcoveredbyvegetation，isstainedinbroadbandsofmanybrightcolours。Atthisseason，thelandmoistenedbyconstantshowers，producesasingularlybrightgreenpasture，whichlowerandlowerdown，graduallyfadesawayandatlastdisappears。Inlatitude16degs。，andatthetriflingelevationof1500feet，itissurprisingtobeholdavegetationpossessingacharacterdecidedlyBritish。ThehillsarecrownedwithirregularplantationsofScotchfirs；andtheslopingbanksarethicklyscatteredoverwiththicketsofgorse，coveredwithitsbrightyellowflowers。
Weeping-willowsarecommononthebanksoftherivulets，andthehedgesaremadeoftheblackberry，producingitswell-knownfruit。Whenweconsiderthatthenumberofplantsnowfoundontheislandis746，andthatoutofthesefifty-twoaloneareindigenousspecies，theresthavingbeenimported，andmostofthemfromEngland，weseethereasonoftheBritishcharacterofthevegetation。ManyoftheseEnglishplantsappeartoflourishbetterthanintheirnativecountry；somealsofromtheoppositequarterofAustraliasucceedremarkablywell。Themanyimportedspeciesmusthavedestroyedsomeofthenativekinds；anditisonlyonthehighestandsteepestridgesthattheindigenousFloraisnowpredominant。
TheEnglish，orratherWelshcharacterofthescenery，iskeptupbythenumerouscottagesandsmallwhitehouses；someburiedatthebottomofthedeepestvalleys，andothersmountedonthecrestsoftheloftyhills。
Someoftheviewsarestriking，forinstancethatfromnearSirW。Doveton’shouse，wheretheboldpeakcalledLotisseenoveradarkwoodoffirs，thewholebeingbackedbytheredwater-wornmountainsofthesoutherncoast。Onviewingtheislandfromaneminence，thefirstcircumstancewhichstrikesone，isthenumberoftheroadsandforts：thelabourbestowedonthepublicworks，ifoneforgetsitscharacterasaprison，seemsoutofallproportiontoitsextentorvalue。Thereissolittlelevelorusefulland，thatitseemssurprisinghowsomanypeople，about5000，cansubsisthere。Thelowerorders，ortheemancipatedslaves，areIbelieveextremelypoor：theycomplainofthewantofwork。FromthereductioninthenumberofpublicservantsowingtotheislandhavingbeengivenupbytheEastIndianCompany，andtheconsequentemigrationofmanyofthericherpeople，thepovertyprobablywillincrease。Thechieffoodoftheworkingclassisricewithalittlesaltmeat；asneitherofthesearticlesaretheproductsoftheisland，butmustbepurchasedwithmoney，thelowwagestellheavilyonthepoorpeople。Nowthatthepeopleareblessedwithfreedom，arightwhichIbelievetheyvaluefully，itseemsprobablethattheirnumberswillquicklyincrease：ifso，whatistobecomeofthelittlestateofSt。Helena？
Myguidewasanelderlyman，whohadbeenagoatherdwhenaboy，andkneweverystepamongsttherocks。Hewasofaracemanytimescrossed，andalthoughwithaduskyskin，hehadnotthedisagreeableexpressionofamulatto。Hewasaverycivil，quietoldman，andsuchappearsthecharacterofthegreaternumberofthelowerclasses。Itwasstrangetomyearstohearaman，nearlywhiteandrespectablydressed，talkingwithindifferenceofthetimeswhenhewasaslave。Withmycompanion，whocarriedourdinnersandahornofwater，whichisquitenecessary，asallthewaterinthelowervalleysissaline，Ieverydaytooklongwalks。
Beneaththeupperandcentralgreencircle，thewildvalleysarequitedesolateanduntenanted。Here，tothegeologist，therewerescenesofhighinterest，showingsuccessivechangesandcomplicateddisturbances。Accordingtomyviews，St。Helenahasexistedasanislandfromaveryremoteepoch：
someobscureproofs，however，oftheelevationofthelandarestillextant。
Ibelievethatthecentralandhighestpeaksformpartsoftherimofagreatcrater，thesouthernhalfofwhichhasbeenentirelyremovedbythewavesofthesea：thereis，moreover，anexternalwallofblackbasalticrocks，likethecoast-mountainsofMauritius，whichareolderthanthecentralvolcanicstreams。Onthehigherpartsoftheisland，considerablenumbersofashell，longthoughttobeamarinespeciesoccurimbeddedinthesoil。
ItprovedtobeaCochlogena，orland-shellofaverypeculiarform；[2]withitIfoundsixotherkinds；andinanotherspotaneighthspecies。Itisremarkablethatnoneofthemarenowfoundliving。Theirextinctionhasprobablybeencausedbytheentiredestructionofthewoods，andtheconsequentlossoffoodandshelter，whichoccurredduringtheearlypartofthelastcentury。