A VOYAGE TO 
[At Mauritius. 
“ I wish with all my heart that the captain -general could accede to 
“the request of His Excellency the marquis Wellesley; but the 
“ motives of your detention having been of a nature to be submitted 
“ to the French government, the captain-general cannot, before he 
“ has received an answer, change any thing in the measures which 
“ have been adopted on your account.” Thus whatever hope had 
been entertained of liberation from the side of India was done away, 
but I did not feel less gratitude to the noble marquis for his attempt; 
after eighteen months of indignities, this attention, and the previous 
arrival of the two relations of my friend Pitot, set at liberty by lord 
William Bentinck, were gratifying proofs that my situation was 
known and excited an interest in India. 
An exchange of prisoners was soon afterwards agreed upon 
between commodore Osborn and colonel Monistrol, with the excep- 
tion of post-captains and commanders in the navy and officers of simi- 
lar rank in the army ; it was not said that the exceptions had any 
reference to captain Bergeret or myself, the sole officers in Mauritius 
of the ranks specified, but it seemed probable. 
On the 28th, the ship Prime arrived from Bombay with French 
prisoners, having on board lieutenant Blast of the Company’s ma- 
rine, as agent ; admiral Linois had met the ship near Ceylon, and 
taken seventy-nine of the French seamen on board his squadron, 
notwithstanding the representation of Mr. Blast that no exchange 
had yet been settled. This proceeding was said to be disapproved 
by general De Caen ; and afterwards to be the cause of the exchange 
being declared void by Sir Edward Pellew, then become commander 
in chief in the Indian seas. 
There was at this time an almost uncontrolled liberty to enter 
the Garden Prison, and I was favoured with frequent visits by Mr. 
Richardson of the Thetis, and by Messrs. Blast, Madegon, and 
Davies of the Prime; these gentlemen, finding they should be obliged 
to leave me behind and alone, rendered every service I could per- 
mit myself to receive at their hands, and made an impression by 
