SOUTHERN AFRICA. - 187 
the Dutch ; for it may be recolleded, that the fleet under the 
command of Admiral Lucas reached Saldanha Bay, in fpite of 
the obflacles which the Southern Atlantic prefented, by the Cape 
being then in our hands. This fleet combined with that of the 
French would have required a naval force, on our part, in the 
Indian Seas that might not have been quite convenient for us to 
Ipare. It is poffible, alfo, they might have eluded the vigilance 
of our force, as their object would not have been fo much to 
fight us, as to have put in execution a plan that many are in- 
clined to fuppofe floated in the mind of Buonaparte when he 
took the road of Egypt, though he was foon convinced of the 
futility of it by that route without at leaft double the number of 
troops ; his whole army being barely fufficient to keep the con- 
quered country in fubjedion. 
Among many reafons, which led to this conjeiSture, was the 
work of Mr. Anqiietil Duperron on India, which, as I have 
already obferved, being withheld from publication for fifteen 
years on account of the information it contained, and of which 
it was fuppofed the Englifli might avail themfelves, was haflily 
iffued from the prefs on the failing of this memorable expedi- 
tion ; being intended, moft probably, as a guide for the officers 
on their arrival in India. This intelligent writer, who, to a 
mind capable of obfervation and deep reflection, adds the great 
advantage of local knowledge, fijses on the coaft of Malabar as 
the foundation and corner-ftone of their long proje6led empire 
in India. The confiderations which induce him to give this 
coaft the preference are, among others, the facility of poflcffing 
the pafles of the neighbouring mountains and of thus fecurlng 
B B 2 the 
