Volume 14 Australasia - dana ward's homepage

REUNION. 51of Pohite des Galetn.But this place oifers few facilities for trade, and is moreoverfrequently exposed to the so-called " vent de St. Gilles," a sort of back-currentfrom the regular monsoon, sweeping round from the east to the west side of theisland. A harbour of refuge, however, has lately been constructed at a cost of noless than £2,700,000, to the north of St. Paul, under the shelter of the Pointedes Galets.The basin, which is accessible to the largest vessels frequenting thesewaters, has an extent of over forty acres, with a depth of 26 feet. This port isFig. 17.— St. Pieree.Scale 1 : 12.000.conveniently situated towards the centre of gravity of the productive parts of theisland, where it is least exposed to the violence of the cyclones. Some of theblocks used in constructing the sea-waUs weigh as much as a hundred and twentytons.South of St. Paul follow the half-deserted towns of St. Leu and St. Louis,and beyond them the prosperous seaport of St. Pierre, with a weU- constructedharbour and solid breakwater enclosing an outer basin 30 to 50 feet deep.Here is the terminal station of the coast railway, which describes a curve of 75miles round half the periphery of the island through St. Paul, the Pointe desE 2