482 
A VOYAGE TO 
[At Mauritius. 
1810 . 
May. 
June. 
and to strengthen the existing fortifications. On the 18th, an ex- 
change was made with the squadron of sixteen soldiers and people 
out of the prison on shore, for the commander and some others of 
L'Estafette; but nothing transpired relative to the sailing of the 
cartel. 
June 2, a salute of twenty-one guns was fired to celebrate the 
marriage of the French emperor with the princess Maria Louisa of 
Austria. This intelligence, accompanied with that of the capture ol 
La Canonniere, was brought by a ship from Bourdeaux, which had 
succeeded in getting into the Black River, as had L’Atree frigate 
some weeks before. The entrance of these vessels at the time that five 
or six of our ships were cruising round the island, affords additional 
proof of the impossibility of blockading it effectually, without a much 
more extensive force than so small a spot can be thought to deserve. 
Mauritius owes this advantage principally to its numerous hills; 
from whence vessels at sea are informed by signal of the situation 
of the cruisers, and are thus enabled to avoid them. 
On the 7th, a parole made out by the English interpreter was 
brought on board for me to sign; and at daylight of the 13th a pilot 
came to take the cartel out of harbour, and we received forty-six 
seamen of the Sea Flower and soldiers of the 69th ; my sword was 
then delivered back, and the following duplicate of the parole was 
given, with a certificate annexed from colonel Monistrol. 
I undersigned, captain in His Britannic Majesty’s navy, having obr 
tained leave of His Excellency the captain-general to return in my country 
by the way of Bengal, promise on my word of honour not to act in any ser- 
vice which might be considered as directly or indirectly hostile to France or 
its allies, during the course of the present war. 
Matthew Flinders. 
Je soussigne certifie que monsieur Mathieu Flinders, capitaine des vais- 
seaus de Sa Majeste Britannique, a obtenu Fautorisation de Son Excellence 
