TERRA AUSTRALIS. 
361 
Port Louis.] 
“ It is not probable that the governor of New South Wales should 1 80:5 • 
“ send away the commander of an expedition on discovery in so Saturday 17. 
“ small a vessel ! — ” He then gave hack my passport and commis- 
sion, qnd I made a motion to follow the interpreter out, but was de- 
sired to stop a little. In a few minutes the interpreter returned with 
a military officer, to whom some orders not explained to me were 
given, and I was desired to follow them ; when going out the captain- 
general said in a softer tone something about my being well treated, 
which I could not comprehend. 
In the way to the wharf, I inquired of the interpreter where 
they were taking me ? He said, on board the schooner, and that they 
had orders to bring my books and papers on shore ; in effect, they 
took all the charts, papers, and journals relating to my voyage, as 
also the Port-Jackson letters and packets, both public and private ; 
and having put them into a trunk which was sealed by me at their 
desire, they made out a report (proces verbal) of their proceedings, 
and requested me to sign it with them. The preamble of this report 
set forth something upon the suspicions excited by my appearance 
at the Isle of France, with the captain-general’s opinion thereon ; I 
therefore refused to sign it, but certified at the bottom, that all the 
charts, journals, and papers of the voyage, together with all the 
letters on board the schooner had been taken. 
The conduct of these gentlemen being polite, I expressed to 
them my sentiments of general De Caen’s manner of receiving me, 
and the injustice of taking away the papers of a voyage protected by 
a passport from the French government ; and added, that the cap- 
tain-general’s conduct must alter very much before I should pay him 
a second visit, or even set my foot on shore again. The interpreter 
hoped I would go on shore with them, for the general had ordered 
a lodging to be provided for me ; and that, in fact, they had orders 
to take me there. I looked at him and at the officer, who was one 
of the aides-de-camp, — What! I exclaimed in the first transports of 
surprise and indignation, — I am then a prisoner ! They acknowledged 
vol. 11. * 3 A 
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