HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
*39 
Deodati, at the same time that he repeated his belief of our innocence, and 
lamented our sufferings, could not, he said, act in a more lenient manner towards 
us; for as we were all Frenchmen, and associated together, he could not place a 
confidence in one more than in the other. The officers appeared to entertain a 
favourable opinion of us, but they had no right to interfere in our behalf, nor the 
power to afford us the least protection. We however indulged the hope that they 
would report our situation to their masters. 
<c Thus ended this bold, hazardous, and fruitless embassy; my companions were 
ordered again to the stocks; and, on the following day, were brought back to the 
island, with an absolute prohibition, on pain of exemplary punishment, to quit it: 
and to prevent all possibility of attempting it, we were now supplied only with one 
barrel of water at a time, and which had but one bottom. 
“ The officers of the vessel were, nevertheless, correctly informed of our history 
and condition, by a circumstantial account which my two comrades contrived to 
communicate to them ; and in which they were earnestly supplicated to make known 
our situation to our relations in Holland, that they might employ the means neces¬ 
sary for our deliverance. 
“ These gentlemen paid us an humane visit on our rock, in order to satisfy them¬ 
selves concerning the contents of the memorial which had been presented to them. 
They were soon convinced of the cruelty with which we were treated, execrated the 
barbarous injustice of the Commandant, and solemnly promised that they would do 
every thing in their power to procure us relief: they also sent us three hundred 
pounds weight of rice, some white biscuit, and several bottles of Spanish wine and 
brandy; a treasure which we carefully concealed from the rapacious inquiries of 
Deodati. The officers having informed us, that though they could not take an 
active part in getting us on board their ship, they were ready to receive us, if we 
could contrive, by any means of our own, to reach it. With this encouragement 
we made another raft, but the winds and the currents being unpropitious, we were 
compelled to return; and, in a few days after this attempt, we had the inexpressible 
mortification to see the vessel depart without us. 
“ The Commandant, being on the eve of marriage with the daughter of an old 
inhabitant of the island, was influenced, by the good humour which the approach¬ 
ing event occasioned, to give orders that I should be removed from my deso¬ 
late abode: but I was not permitted to see him, and I could do nothing for my 
T 2 
