HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
H 
6< M. de la Bourdonnais, whose views in settling the Isle of France were purely 
commercial, wished to introduce silk-worms and indigo. It is probable that cotton 
was brought into this island by that distinguished person. 
** I have met with people,” continues M. le Gentil, “ who have pretended that 
the iron of this island is of no value; but I differ in opinion from them, as I have 
samples of it which justify my dissent. It cannot indeed be denied that it has a 
very moderate sale in the Indies, when compared with that which is exported from 
France ; but that proves nothing more than its inferiority to European iron, with¬ 
out confirming the depreciating opinion of it. Besides, the mode of extracting the 
metal from the earth, and the subsequent process to purify and render it malleable, 
must, in a great measure, influence its final value. Tire following experiment, 
however, will determine the qualities and nature of the iron found in this island. 
“ The masts of vessels being made in Europe of a light wood, the circles of 
iron which are applied to strengthen and support them, sink into it. In the Isle of 
France, the wood which is employed to splice the masts is extremely hard, and 
not only resists, but, from its elasticity, breaks the circles of European iron. Those 
made of the iron of the Isle of France, employed in the French vessels during 
the last war, and worked at the forges of Mr. Herman’s, were the only hoops of 
this kind that resisted, and remained firm. This circumstance appears to be decisive 
in favour of the iron of this island. It has been said, and many have believed, 
that the whoLe of this island is iron. There is certainly some iron there, but not 
equally abundant; and the forges have been erected where the ore is the least pre¬ 
valent. It is by washing the earth that the mineral is obtained; and some time since 
it was brought to the gate of the kiln, on the side of which the Patouillard is esta¬ 
blished, in a fine plain. These works were, for some time, successful from the ad¬ 
vantage of a favourable vein, but they have since been abandoned, though the plain 
has not been completely raked. A small portion of mineral was, however, found 
in 1770, and that was fetched from more than the distance, .of half a league from the 
kiln : besides, the mineral was poor, was found in veins or furrows of little length, 
and but few feet under ground. I know not,” says M. le Gentil, “ if the excavation 
sunk to more than eight feet, after which was a bottom of rock, and a kind of soft, 
sandy stone, which was good for nothing. The mine at Pamplemousses, if.it de¬ 
serve that title, is not rich, and seems to be furnished with what mineral it contains 
by the force of the rains, which wash it down from the highlands into the plains. 
