Mauritius
is the result of a powerful
volcanic eruption; flowing masses of basalt solidified and formed three
chains of mountains running from northeast to southwest. Other masses of lava were
flung farther afield to form solitary peaks, which are now beautiful mountains
dominating the landscape of the island and are thickly forested with tropical
green jungles. They rise up from the surrounding flat lands planted with fields
of yellow-green sugar cane,
their jagged indigo peaks touching the powder blue dome of the skies.
What
I enjoy the most about these
peaks that guard the island silently are their descriptive names, - Les
Trois Mamelles, (the three breasts) Le Pouce, (the thumb) Le Morne (the
mournful) and Lion Mountain. Nestled comfortably amidst these mountains rises a
central plateau to some 1900ft. lying in the west and southeast are a series of
gorges that divide the plateau. The main ones comprising fast flowing rivers
and spectacular waterfalls are Grand River in the northwest and the Black River
in the southwest.
The
coastal areas of the island reveal rocky coves and bays, some fringed with white
talcum-like sandy beaches, protected by a coral reef that wraps itself
protectively around the entire island and in some places rising to 40ft above
sea level. Languishing between the shore and the reef is the ocean that plays
colours of turquoise, indigo and royal blue, dappled by silver sun stars
playing on its tranquil surface.
Some
two hundred years ago, Mauritius was home to a massive variety
of birds, some of which, like the dodo had lost the power of flight and
were easily shot for “the pot” by early sea-farers and eventually became
extinct. A small number of the surviving species live in the indigenous forests,
now National
Reserves.
Animals
that were imported in the years of the East India Spice Traders are the Indian
hare and Mina bird, the Macaque Monkey from Malaysia and the Javanese deer.
There are also 4 different kinds of snake that are harmless, and fifteen
different types of lizards.
Sadly
in the early years of discovery the island’s natural primeval forests were
plundered for their natural hardwoods, but it is still cloaked in lush vegetation that
is kept green all year round with rain showers. Tall palms and casuarinas,
(locally called filaos) that cling to the sea’s edge and in the hills are
eucalyptus and conifers. Villages are shaded by badamier, banyan, camphor and
baobab trees with roads lined with avenues of flame trees, (originally from
Madagascar.) All year round one is delighted by the flowering blooms of
jacaranda, cassia, oleander, bougainvillea, hibiscus and a variety of other
trees and shrubs.
Sugar
cane covers two-fifths of the land, earning 93% of the revenue
on the island, whilst the other crops, coffee, tea, tobacco and rice provide
a living for a majority of the Mauritians.
There
is an estimated population of
1,286 million living on the island, of which the majority are Indians of
the Hindu faith, Creoles, (people of mixed European and African blood), Chinese
traders, and the minority who are Franco
and Anglo Mauritian who descend from families who have lived on the island for
over 200 years. The official business language is English, but the native
language of Europeans and Creoles id French, or lingua franca, a Creole patois.
Educated Indians and those in the tourism business are bi-lingual in French and
English, as well as their native Hindi or Urdu.
Mauritius
has a maritime climate
which is cooled by the southeast Trade Winds from April to October. Between
December to May, (the summer) temperatures reach the upper 80’s and the
humidity is high with the hottest months being December to February. In the
months of July to August, (winter) temperatures reach the upper 70’s.
It
rains throughout the year, the wettest months being January to March and this
is known as the Season of Cyclones and one visit I made to the island was in
February where I sat out a cyclone in the Touessrok Hotel
close to the Ille aux Cerfs which was an awesome and frightening experience, to
put it mildly! Ever since then I have been prone to visit Mauritius in the
months of April to May.
©Susan
Cook-Jahme, Freelance Writer
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