Annual report on the social and economic progress of the people of Mauritius.

Date:
[1933]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report on the social and economic progress of the people of Mauritius. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    5/56 (page 3)
    Mauritius is situated just within the tropics and enjoys a climate free from extremes of weather except that tropical cyclones at times cause considerable damage to crops, but rarely to buildings. For a great part of the year south-east trade winds, heavily laden with moisture, blow gently over the island tempering the tropical heat. The rain falls mostly in showers. Particularly in the summer months, December-March, the south-east winds are replaced by the light variable winds of the doldrums, which cause discomfort to Europeans, although the temperatures are not high, whereas in the winter months in the residential districts at altitudes of 1,300 to 1,800 feet the temperature may fall to 50° F. The yearly rainfall varies from 30 inches on parts of the coast to 150 inches in the upland regions. The Mascarene Archipelago- was probably known to Arab navi¬ gators at an early date and was no doubt visited later by the Malays who colonized Madagascar in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Portuguese rediscovered it in 1507. They only used Mauritius as a port of call for repairs and supplies, and let loose pigs, goats, deer, and monkeys. It seems probable that rats were introduced in this period as they were a serious pest to the succeeding Dutch colonists. The Dutch took possession from 1598 and were employed chiefly in exploiting the ebony. They attempted to cultivate sugar cane, but were frustrated by rats. Although they denuded the forests of ebony they later added to the economic resources of the island by introducing useful trees, plants, and cattle. Negroes were imported for labour, and, as escape into the forests was easy, bands of runaway slaves called Maroons were formed. The combination of the rats and this dangerous population of mixed, but mostly African, origin uncontrolled by any tribal or political system proved too much for the Dutch who abandoned the island in 1710. The French annexed it in 1715, and by 1722 the population, apart from Maroons, amounted to 160 persons, soldiers, colonists, and slaves. Mahe de la Bourdonnais was chosen to develop the Colony and arrived in 1735. In order to make the island self- supporting, he introduced manioc and maize from Brazil and pro¬ moted the extension of agriculture by introducing products from all parts of the tropical world. He especially encouraged the cul¬ tivation of sugar. He substituted animal draught for carriage by slaves, and to ensure an adequate supply of labour he brought slaves from Africa. From an encampment of straw huts he built up Port Louis into a town of public buildings, private houses, stores, shops, and barracks. Labourdonnais laid the foundations of modern Mauritius. In 1755 large herds of cattle were brought in from Madagascar. Pierre Poivre, Intendant in 1767, established the cultivation of cloves and nutmegs. 25657 _A 2