MOCH A. 
the Imaum . " That old customs could not be altered; that no man 
had ever been given up who had applied to the Dola; that he knew 
the English were very powerful, and wished to do every where just 
as they pleased ; but that, with the blessing of God, nothing would 
happen." 
r*' By the American that came last, a letter was received from a 
Banian, who went down to the Isle of France, to obtain the repay- 
ment of the money he had advanced for several years as rent of 
the French factory. He took with him two Arabs, and I strongly 
suspect that they were sent to make application to the French 
Government there, for assistance against the English. The above 
speech of the Imaum seems to confirm it. 
I learned that several applications were made at the American's 
ship for the letter, and that they expressed the greatest alarm lest 
Devagee should get hold of it. The letter of course could not be 
procured by us, but the contents were published in part ; highly 
extolling the French power, and stating that they had taken 
sixteen sail of our China fleet, and brought them into the Isle of 
France. This could only have been said to encourage his employers. 
The report was contradicted by all the Americans, to the great dis- 
pleasure of the Dola. 
Another circumstance confirmed my suspicions respecting the 
application to the Isle of France. The Americans have been 
supposed by the Arabs to be friends of the French, and have been 
frequently spoken to as such, asking them if they were not so, and 
assuring them that the Arabs all were, and wished to see the French 
back again. 
V Some very fine specimens of the shells of this shore were pro- 
