a group of islands in the Indian Ocean, lying between S. Lat. 3° 33' and 5° 35', E. Long. 55° 15' and 56° 10'; 915 miles N. of Mauritius, 566 N.E. of Madagascar, and 1470 S.W. of the continent of India. They are 29 in number, but most of them are of very small size, being merely rocks rather than islands. They stand on a bank of coral and sand, rising from the depths of the ocean to a distance varying from 12 to 40 fathoms from its surface. This bank stretches from north to south for a distance of about 200 miles, and from east to west 30 or 40 miles. The islands themselves, with the exception of two of coralline structure, are granitic, and have a very rugged and irregular appearance, rising into peaks in the centre, which are not cultivated, but covered with perpetual verdure. The soil is good, and the climate warm and equable; hurricanes and violent gales are unknown. Sugar canes, tobacco of excellent quality, cloves, and many kinds of trees, among which is the *coco de mer*, or Seychelles cocoa-nut, peculiar to these islands, grow luxuriantly. Cotton is also raised, and an active trade is carried on in it; but though of excellent quality, it has not yet come into competition with that of the United States. Turtles abound in the islands, and the sperm whale is frequently met with at no great distance. The people are much given to seafaring pursuits, and there is a great want of agricultural labourers. Mahé, the largest of the islands, is about 17 miles long by 4 broad, and rises to the height of 2000 feet. It is well wooded, and watered by many rivulets. The scenery is very picturesque, and the soil varied, but fertile. On its east coast is a fine bay called Port Victoria, 4 miles deep by 3½ wide, and capable of accommodating a large number of vessels. Next in size to the island of Mahé are those of Praslin, Silhouette, Digue, and Curieuse. The Seychelles are a dependency of Mauritius, and are under a civil commissioner, subject to the government of that island. The public expenditure for 1855 amounted to L.4090, while the revenue was little more than half that sum; the total revenue for the three years 1853-4-5 being L.6495. Education is in a backward state, and there were only forty-nine children attending school in 1855. Most of the inhabitants are Roman Catholics; and indeed there is no Protestant church in the islands, though a chaplain of that religion officiates in Mahé. The Seychelles were first discovered by Vasco di Gama in 1502; but it was not till 1742 that they were explored by Captain Picault, who took possession of them in the name of the King of France, and called them after the French marine minister at that time. They were captured by the British in 1794, and ceded to them along with Mauritius by the treaty of 1815. The population in 1856 of the Seychelles, including the other dependencies of Mauritius, was 8007.