476 
A VOYAGE TO 
\_At Mauritius 
18 * 0 . 
January. 
maize, or any kind of produce from the half-ruined colonists. Pro- 
mises of great reform in the administration were made at that time ; 
and it was even said to have been promised, that if pecuniary suc- 
cour did not arrive in six months, the captain-general would retire 
and leave the inhabitants to govern themselves ; and had the frigates 
not returned, or returned without prizes, it seemed probable that 
such must have been the case.* 
The hurricane season was now arrived ; and the Canon- 
hiere and Laurel having taken advantage of our cruisers being at a 
little distance to get out at night, the British squadron abandoned 
the island. Expecting then that the cartel for the Cape of Good Hope 
would be sent away, I augmented the number of letters for England 
and the Cape in the hands of captain Lynne ; and transmitted to 
him the greater part of my books and clothes, which he had the 
goodness to send on board with his own, So many vessels had 
arrived from France, and amongst them two during this month of 
January, without producing any fresh information, that almost all 
hope from my memorial to the marine minister had ceased ; and 
should the captain -general send me in this cartel, contrary to expec- 
tation, then my effects were already on board. She sailed on the 
sgth, with captains Woolcombe and Lynne and the commanders 
of the Company’s ships Windham, Charleston and United King- 
* According to information from various sources, the prizes brought to Mauritius 
were disposed of in this manner. The proceeds went first into the hands of the 
government, which took ten per cent, as a duty upon the sales, and afterwards one- 
third of the remainder as its proper right. Sixty per cent, remained for the captors, hut 
the necessities of the state being generally urgent, it took thirty more, giving bills for the 
amount on the treasury of France ; and for the remaining portion, it was parted with so 
reluctantly that the inferior officers and seamen were seldom able to obtain a dollar ; but 
they were offered other bills, and these they were glad to sell for almost any thing to the 
inhabitants. This was the distribution to the frigates ; the prizes brought in hv priva- 
teers were not so profitable to the government, its claims being limited, I believe, to the 
tea per cent, duty and one-third of the remainder. 
