A VOYAGE TO 
[At Mauritius. 
4 54 
1806 . 
.August, 
Majesty’s ships; recommending to their favour, in case of being taken, 
such of his friends as had a claim- to it, either from services rendered 
to prisoners or from their superior talents ; and I did not let slip the 
occasion of his voyage to Bourbon, to testify in this manner my sense 
of his worth. To soften the rigour of confinement to deserving men, 
is a grateful task ; I conceived that a war between two nations does 
not necessarily entrain personal enmity between each of their re- 
spective individuals, nor should prevent us from doing particular 
acts of kindness where merit and misfortune make the claim ; and 
in the confidence that such were the general sentiments of officers 
in the navy, I had no hesitation in addressing myself to them. Pos- 
sibly some would think these applications unadvisably made; but 
n0 _to distinguish merit and repay the debt of gratitude contracted 
by unfortunate brother officers or countrymen, are too congenial to 
the hearts of Britons ; to those who produced either, or both of these 
titles an English seaman could not be deaf, and on no other account 
was my suffrage obtained. 
Captain Bergeret’s name was too well known to need any re- 
commendation from me ; but I wished to express my gratitude for 
his generous proceedings to many English piisoners, and to have 
the advantage of his influence in obaining an order from his govern- 
ment for my liberty, or otherwise for being sent to France to be 
examined. The letter transmitted a short time before he sailed, ex- 
presses the state of a prisoner’s mind when suffering under injustice 
and wearied with disappointment ; on this account, the greater 
number of readers will be induced to excuse the insertion of the fol- 
lowing passages, which otherwise are without importance, and pet- 
haps without interest. 
I need not at this time call to your recollection what my situation is 
in this place. I have been so long pressed under the hand of injustice, and 
my confidence in the French government is so much exhausted, that I am 
reduced to asking as a favour what ought to be demanded as a right. On 
your arrival in France then, my dear Sir, forget not that I am here, — that 
