856 
A VOYAGE TO 
[At Mauritius. 
1803. 
December. 
ThursdaylS, 
Friday 16 . 
war was declared, these papers were my sole protection and could 
not be given up ; but if copies would do they might be taken. It 
was at length settled, that I should go over land to Port Louis with 
the passport and commission, and that Mr. Aken should be furnished 
with a pilot and bring the schooner round after me. 
I was conducted to the house of M. Dunienville, about a mile 
distant, to be ready to set off on horseback early next morning. 
The gentleman who interpreted informed me on the way, that general 
Magallon was at Bourbon, having been lately superseded by general 
De Caen, an officer of the French revolution. M. Dunienville had 
been a lieutenant of the navy and knight of St. Louis under the old 
government, and was then major of the district of La Savanne; but 
the other officer, M. Etienne Bolger, had lately been appointed com- 
mandant over his head, by the new governor. 
My reception at the major’s house was polite and hospitable ; 
and at dawn of day I rose to set off with my host for Port Louis, 
according to the plan settled over night. It appeared, however, that 
he first expected some orders from the commandant ; and at ten 
o’clock, becoming impatient of the delay, I requested to know 
whether it were, or were not intended to go overland ? Major 
Dunienville seemed to be hurt that the agreement had not been kept; 
but the direction was taken out of his hands, and not having received 
final orders he could do nothing. I then returned to the Cumber- 
land, with the intention of sailing either with or without a pilot; but 
a wind favourable for quitting the bay being not expected before 
four o’clock, it induced me to accept the major’s pressing invitation 
to dine at his house, where four or five strangers were assembled. 
Before dinner was over, an order came to him from the commandant 
to permit the departure of the schooner he had stopped; and at five o’clock, 
the pilot being on board, we stood out from the reefs in one of those 
squalls which come off' the land at that hour in the summer season. 
This little Baye du Cap lies about four miles east from Cape 
Brabant, a headland at the south-west extremity of the island. The 
