1 693-] NORTH-WEST TOUT. 149 



of him (one of which by the by was like to starve in the 

 Woods, having stray'cl from his Companions) he happened to 

 pass by the Place where we were, in his Progress round the 

 Island, which he was accustom'd to make every year. As 

 soon as I came to know it, I went with the other Person tliat 

 remain'd with me, and beg'd his Protection, which he granted 

 with all the Civility I could desire, and gave me a kind 

 Eeception. When he and his Attendants had heard our 

 Story, and considered our poor Vessel, they cou'd not but 

 wonder at our rash Undertaking. The Governor promis'd to 

 send us an Anchor, to a Port on the North- West side of the 

 Island, which, he said, we might make use of, as occasion 

 shou'd serve, in our way to his Lodge, so the Houses of the 

 Governors of these Islands are call'd after what manner 

 so ever they are built. He assur'd us at the same time, we 

 shou'd want for nothing, and added we might thus wait 

 at leasure for a Vessel that would arrive in a short time. 



Upon these good Words, which he repeated several times, 

 we left the JBlacJc-Biver, where our Companions had just 

 joyn'd us, and soon got to the ISTorth-West Port.^ As a 

 fore-runner of the Misfortunes we were yet to under go, we 

 found no Anchor there, as the Governor had promis'd, but 

 instead thereof perceiv'd we had not those Instructions given 

 us were necessary ; for whereas they ought to have told us, 

 how we were to continue our Voyage to the Lodge by Water, 

 they let us know we must resolve to carry our Baggage by 

 Land as far asFlacJ^a small Village eight Leagues off, where 



1 The Noort Wester Haven, the modern Port Louis ; at the extremity 

 of Avhich inlet was a Dutch camp, where a town arose, subsequently 

 named St. Louis after his most Christian Majesty by the French in 1721. 

 The harbour, well sheltered from the prevailing winds by an amphi- 

 theatre of mountains, was fortified by La Bourdonnais and became the 

 capital city and seat of government in the island. (See Pridham, The 

 j\lauriiius, p. 259.) 



2 Flac, or Flacq, formerly Flak, on the north-east side of the island, 

 is one of the oldest settlements. The old Dutch road from Port Louis is 



