TERRA AUSTRALIS. 
387 
Port Louis.'] 
consideration than if it were a common voyage. To be kept a pri- 
soner so ldng as the war should last, did not therefore enter into my 
conception as within the bounds of probability ; but it is the failing 
of men of all professions to over-rate the importance of that which 
they have themselves adopted, and into this error it will probably be 
thought I had fallen with respect to voyages of discovery. 
We had a second visit on the 6th from captain Bergeret, to 
whom the passengers of the Aplin, and particularly the married _ 
gentlemen, were indebted for much attention and indulgence. He 
seemed to think that nothing could at this time be able to procure 
our release, but that we might perhaps be permitted to live in the 
country ; and he promised to interest himself in it, so soon as a 
proper time and opportunity could be found for speaking to the cap- 
tain-general. 
The season was arrived in which, should we be set at lib. rty, 
it would be too late to attempt a passage round the Cape of Good 
Hope in the schooner, and before the return of another year, the 
stores, and perhaps the vessel its elf might be rotten ; and having no 
hope to obtain an ans.wer to a letter, I requested M. Bonnefoy to make 
an application to the general for permission to sell the Cumberland. 
Ten days afterward the interpreter informed me, that general De 
Caen had spoken to him ol my wish to live in the country, which had 
been made known to him by captain Bergeret ; and he desired him 
to tell me, “ to have a little patience, he should soon come to some 
determination upon my affair being spoken to upon the sale of 
the Cumberland, his reply was, “ a little patience, it is time enough 
yet and when the charts and books for which I had applied on 
Feb. 27 were mentioned, he still gave the same answer. 
My people were brought on shore on the 23rd, with other 
British subjects from the prison ship, in order to be sent to a district 
called Flacq, on the east side of the island ; and this circumstance 
confirmed my suspicion that it was not intended to liberale us until 
orders were received from France. Mr. Charrington, the boatswain, 
1S04. 
March. 
