The island of Bourbon is sixty French miles in circumference, and is exposed to the effects of a volcano, which from time to time throws up a bituminous, fluid, vitrified sort of substance, which, when cooled, has a spongy and reddish appearance. It extends already a quarter of a mile into the sea, like a broad causeway, which by the heat of the sun and the sea-water acquires daily more solidity, so that the French flatter themselves with the hope that it will one day form a haven. Both here, and at the Isle of France, the sea throws up a great many kinds of beautiful shells as well as marine petrifactions. It produces also abundance of well-tasted fish. The island of Bourbon yields large quantities of coffee, which, when the beans have been well picked, is of the best quality. It contains a great many oily particles, and is attended with this advantage to the purchasers, that they have no occasion to use so much of it as of any other kind; for it is much stronger than that of Moka, though it has not such an agreeable flavour. The English purchase whole ship-loads of it, and set a much greater value on it than on that of the West Indies. When well toasted and burnt it will retain its virtue a whole year, provided it be properly preserved. Almost all the inhabitants of Bourbon cultivate coffee of this kind in their gardens. At the time I was on the island, a bag of it, weighing a hundred and twenty pounds, cost twelve scudi. The inhabitants of this island are diligent, industrious, decent, and well-behaved people. As they reside chiefly in the country, and employ themselves in agriculture, they have preserved their morals uncorrupted, and know little or nothing of the vices which prevail in the towns. The ass is the principal animal used for labour in these two islands; as horses and oxen cannot long hold out in a country so full of hills, therefore asses are employed in their stead. The French sea-captains bring from Arabia whole cargoes of these animals, and sell them to the inhabitants. The island of Bourbon is divided into seven different districts, viz. _St. Denis_, _St. Paul_, _Repos de Laleu_, _D’Abord_, _St. Susannah_, _St. Bennet_, and _La Possession_. These seven districts, in the year 1783, delivered into the king’s magazines 8,136,245 pounds of corn, 6,704,296 pounds of maize and millet, 84,921 pounds of rice, 261,687 pounds of pease, 461,402 pounds of beans, and 300,000 pounds of barley. Were I obliged to make a choice between the Isle of France and that of Bourbon, I should prefer the latter, on account of its fertility, the purity and salubrity of its air, the industry and uncorrupted morals of its inhabitants, who have not yet debased themselves by illicit commerce with contemptible slaves, and of many other advantages; though M. Charpentier de Cossigny asserts the contrary in his letter to M. Sonnerat, printed at the Isle of France in 1784, and which, in general, displays great partiality.