430 BATAVIA TO CAPE OF GOOD HOPE cu. xvi 
3rd April. Theodosio’. . . a seaman, died very suddenly ; 
he had enjoyed an uninterrupted state of good health during 
all our times of sickness. 
7th. Of the four French vessels which we found in this 
harbour, three have now sailed, and the fourth is ready for 
sea, two were 64-gun ships, the third a large snow, and the 
fourth a frigate. All these came from the Isle de France? 
for provisions, of which they carry away hence a prodigious 
quantity, and consequently must have many mouths to feed. 
It is probable they meditate some stroke from this island at 
our East India settlements in the beginning of a future war, 
which, however, our Indian people are not at all alarmed at, 
trusting entirely to the vast armies which they constantly 
keep up, the support of which in Bengal alone costs 
£840,000 a year. 
Mr. De Bougainville, pleased with the beauty of the ladies 
of Otahite, gave that island the name of Cypre. On his 
return home he touched at Isle de France, where the person 
who went out with him in the character of natural historian 
was left, and still remains. Ofowrrou, the Indian, whom he 
brought from thence, was known on board his ship by the 
name of Tootavu, a plain corruption of Bougainville, with 
whom it may be supposed he meant to change names 
according to his custom. This man is now at Isle de 
France, from whence a large ship is very soon to sail and 
carry him back to his own country, where she is to make a 
settlement. In doing this she must necessarily follow the 
track of Abel Jansen Tasman, and consequently, if she does 
not discover Cook’s Straits, which in all probability she will 
do, must make several discoveries on the coast of New 
Zealand. Thus much the French who were here made no 
secret of. How necessary then will it be for us to publish 
an account of our voyage as soon as possible after our 
arrival, if we mean that our own country shall have the honour 
1 This is clearly Jeh. Dozey, A.B., who is stated, in the ‘‘ Introduction” to 
Wharton’s Cook (p. liii.), to have died on April 7, 1771, but his death is not 
alluded to in Cook’s Journal, 
2 The more usual name now is Mauritius, 
