OP LA PEROUSE. I07 



towards their inferiors, turns alfo to the prejudice 

 of navigators, who cannot efcape the avidity 

 of fo many perfons leagued again ft them. The 

 diilike which this cupidity mull naturally excite 

 to putting in there, will lead this country to its 

 deftruclion. A ruinous luxury, which has for 

 fome years been introduced among the women, 

 has greatly changed the manners of the inha- 

 bitants: the European fafhions are there fought 

 after with eagernefs. 



It is to be regretted, that there have been go* 

 vernments fufficiently blind to their own ih- 

 tereft, to leave fo long at the difpofal of a com- 

 pany of merchants, one of the places the moft 

 important to the navigation of India. Befides, 

 political views are, in fuch an arTociation, very 

 fubordinate to the third of gain which governs it, 

 and which is frequently contrary to the national 

 intereft. 



CommirTaries coming from Europe were ex- 

 peeled to put thefe affairs on a better footing; 

 but although fome were fent out at different 

 times, things remained juft as they were. 



We replaced at the Cape of Good Hope the 

 provifions which we had expended before our 

 arrival there. It would have been defirable that 

 this fupply had alfo extended to articles of bad 

 quality, with which we had been provided be- 

 fore our departure from Europe. The contrac- 

 tors 



