1 694-] TRANSrOKTED TO A ROCK. 159 



coming, not forgetting to insinuate how much we were 

 oblig'd to him for thinking our Sails worthy to Cloath his 

 Huntsmen, and for giving us his Servants Bones to pick, hut 

 all this while he took no notice of the Injury and Injustice 

 he had just done us. All these kind Promises however 

 vanish'd in a Moment, for he soon after set Guards over us, 

 who waited upon us Day and Night. Some few days after 

 one came by his Order to seize ujjon all we had, Money, 

 Arms, Husbandry-Tools, Kitchin-Utensils, Bed-Cloaths, 

 Table-Linen, and in a word, almost all we were Masters of, 

 excepting a little Linen, our Beds, our Cloaths, and part of 

 our Books. Our Gold-smith too had all the Instruriients of 

 his Trade taken from him, not leaving him so much as one. 

 AftBr this we were put into a Chaloupe together with the 

 Accus'd, who were strip'd to their Shirts and loaded with 

 Irons, without knowing what they intended to do with us, 

 but we soon found to our Cost and Detriment. We were 

 Transported to a Desart and frightful liock^ about two 



' Off Grand Port the outer edge of the reef lies two or three miles 

 from the shore, and on it are several rocks and islets in the southern 

 part, the most conspicuous of which is the He de la Passe on the north 

 side of the principal entrance, and half-a-mile west of the lighthouse 

 on Fouquier or Fouquet's Island, with a small islet (Vacoas I.) between. 

 On He aux Fouquets now, is a lighthouse 84 feet high, and Vacoas 

 Island is apparently the one on which Leguat and his companions 

 dwelt in their enforced exile. It is 2| miles to the eastward of the 

 nearest point of the mainland, and on the very edge of the coral reef, 

 which stretches away to the north. On this reef are more islets, viz., 

 Marianne I., Bird I., and Fous I. All these islands are hollowed 

 out by the waves in many places, forming caverns that undermine them 

 to some distance. There is a large tank which is capable of containing 

 a supply of fresh water for the use of the light-keeper and his family, 

 brought over in barrels from the mainland every day, when the boats 

 take provisions and oil, etc., and stored there, as the place is often inac- 

 cessible for days together at high tides and in stormy weather. 



The He de la Passe was formerly defended by a battery, and some 

 old-fashioned rusty mortars and guns were, not long since, lying neg- 

 lected in the ruins of the ramparts and defences cut out of the rock. 



The graves of several French and English soldiers, who at various 



