Off Mauritius .] TERRA AUSTRALIS. 
them, and obliged His Excellency to abandon the brilliant prospect 
of making a figure in the annals of the East ; he then came to Mau- 
ritius, exclaiming against the perfidy of the British government, and 
with a strong dislike, if not hatred to the whole nation. I arrived 
about three months subsequent to this period, and the day after M. 
Barrois had been sent on board Le G6ographe with despatches for 
France ; which transaction being contrary to the English passport, 
and subjecting the ship to capture, if known, it was resolved to detain 
me a short time, and an embargo was laid upon all neutral ships for ten 
days. It would appear that the report of the commandant at La Sa- 
vanne gave some suspicion of my identity, which was eagerly adopted 
as a cause of detention ; I was therefore accused at once of impos- 
ture, closely confined, and my books, papers, and vessel seized. 
Next day another report arrived from La Savanne, that of major 
Dunienville ; from which, and the examination I had just under- 
gone, it appeared that the accusation of imposture was untenable ; 
an invitation to go to the general's table was then sent me, no sus- 
picion being entertained that this condescension to an Englishman, 
and to an officer of inferior rank, might not be thought an equiva- 
lent for what had passed. My refusal of the intended honour until 
set at liberty, so much exasperated the captain-general that he de- 
termined to make me repent it ; and a wish to be acquainted with 
the present state of Mauritius being found in my journal, it was 
fixed upon as a pretext for detaining me until orders should arrive 
from France, by which an imprisonment of at least twelve months 
was insured. The first motive for my detention therefore arose from 
the infraction previously made of the English passport, by sending 
despatches in Le G^ographe ; and the probable cause of its being 
prolonged beyond what seems to have been originally intended, 
was to punish me for refusing the invitation to dinner. 
The marine minister’s letter admits little doubt that general De 
Caen knew, on the return of his brother-in-law in January 1805, 
that the council of state at Paris, though approving of his conduct, 
VOL. II. 3 R 
