INTRODUCTtON. XXxix 



hearing any news of the Ambulante, whkli 

 had been caft on fiiore at a place diftant only 

 fix leagues from Port Louis in the Ifle of 

 France, AH the crops were deftroyed. On 

 that account it was requifite that every ef- 

 fort fhould be made to repair thofe vefTcIs 

 which had fuffered leaft by the ftorm ; and 

 it was ftill de Tromelin who rendered 

 this important fervice to the colony and to 

 commerce. It was neceflary to difpatch 

 inftantly the greater part of thefe veflels to 

 Madagalcar, in fcarch of ftores and provi- 

 fions of every kind. It is under fuch im- 

 fortunate circumftances that tlie talents of 

 able adminiftrators difplay themfelves to the 

 greateft advantage. M. Poivre, who, in the 

 courfe of his adminiftration, had fhewn 

 himfelf equally prudent and enlightened, 

 had taken the falutary precaution to make 

 feveral veflels winter at the Cape of Good 

 Hope, Thefe veflels, when informed of 



c 4 the 



