A Sketcher's Tour Round the World (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1854 Excerpt: ...bank, with drawbridge, guardhouse, &c, and on the hills behind are several block-houses, commanding the town. Sentries are posted in different parts; and after 8 P.m., when a drum is beaten, no stranger is allowed to remain on shore without a permit. The French hold the island as a sort of naval, or rather military post in the South Seas, but it seems of but little use to them; and instead of increasing the trade, they have decreased it, for no whalers or other ships will call for supplies, where everything is excessively dear, and where there are such numerous INTERIOR OF THE ISLAND. 227 troublesome regulations. They do not seem to interfere much with the inhabitants, but have posts in different parts of the island. Several invalids and old soldiers have settled there, hut they never make good colonists, and seem only sojourners in the land, cultivating little patches of ground near the town, more as gardens than farms. There was a French restaurant in the town, but no inn of any sort where I could stay, so I slept on board every night. Horses were difficult to be obtained, and there were no means of getting about. Having heard of a very beautiful lake in the mountains, said to be an extinct crater, I determined to visit it. I did not expect much, but as the distance was considerable, I thought I might meet some fine scenery on my way. After two days' search, and a good deal of trouble, I succeeded in hiring a horse, and a native to go with me, with a pony for himself, paying nearly half the value of the animals, for three days' use. We left Papeiti by the Broom road--and a capital road it is, running nearly all round the island--and proceeded south-west for about thirty miles, generally close to the shore. The scenery in many places was very beautiful...