Our boat now glided up to the steps of the landing, which we mounted, and once more trod upon terra firma. From the different languages that fell on our ears we were at a loss to tell what countrymen we were among. First, from the number of turbans and white robes, with the faultlessly regular oriental features, we were induced to think that we had landed amid an Arabian population; then, the vast number of gaudy caps, surmounting shaven crowns, caused us to change our opinion, and imagine the greater portion of the mass before us derived from farther down the Malabar coast; but, again, we saw the barbaric ornaments, dusky features, and scanty clothing of the Madagascar native, followed by the various Hindoo tribes, representatives of the other East India colonies belonging to Great Britain; and next the Chinese, the Malay, the Creole (a production of the amalgamation of some one of these races with the European); then, lastly, there were the French and English, intermingled with people from every civilized country of the globe: and hence it may well be imagined, from these incongruous features of the populace, that the commingling of all their different languages must produce a most Babel-like confusion. Then the donkeys, too, which at all times of day are about the docks in great numbers, added their harmonious voices to the confused din. At the moment of landing, I was struck with the sparsity of the white population. It was only at rare intervals, as I penetrated into the city, that an European face could be seen; and I have walked for hours in utter ignorance of my whereabouts; for, although I frequently inquired of whomsoever I met, I was unable to find one who could speak English enough to direct me. After a short walk through the macadamized streets, feeling that I was utterly out of my element, (all sailors, who have been a long cruise at sea, are poor walkers,) and inquiring for some time as to the direction of Paul and Virginia’s grave, (the hero and heroine of the beautiful French novel, which designates this island as Cypress,) we succeeded in finding an English chaise-driver, who soon had us stowed away in his vehicle, and bowling along over a good road into the country. Our ride extended for seven miles, through a populous and fertile country: the inhabitants being of the same class as in the city.