vi INTRODUCTION* 



and all the care that may be taken, infaat 

 eftablifliments in that ifl*md muft always 

 have a great dependence on the ifles of 

 France and of Bourbon, on account of their 

 proximity. It is of importance therefore 

 to give feme idea of them. 



If the ifles of France and of Bourbon 

 are, at prefent, the principal fettlements 

 which the French have in the Indian feas, 

 it is only to their fit nation that they are in- 

 debted for that advantage* 



The port of the former is the arfenal of 

 the French forces, and the centre of their 

 commerce. 



The ifles of France and of Bourbon were 

 difcovered by tbe Portuguefe^ who called the 

 former Cerni^ and the latter Mafcarhenas. 

 The ifle of Bourbon has no port capable of 

 receiving large veflels. It is fifty leagues 

 in circumference ; is almoft of a circular 

 form; and its mountains are very high. 



The 



