HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 157 
and the bottom of it is an awful solitude, where an eternal calm reigns, though the 
wind blows fresh on the mountains.* 
« At two leagues from St. Paul there is an extensive sandy plain, that'reaches to 
the town, which is built in the same manner as St. Denis, and consists of large regu¬ 
lar spaces surrounded with hedges, in the middle of which is an habitation; so 
that these towns have the appearance of large villages. St. Paul is situated on the 
bank of a lake of fresh water, which might with great ease be converted into an 
“harbour. 
" The India Company had at Bourbon a custom-house, and a Governor, who 
was very circumspect in his conduct towards the pirates. It so happened that the 
Viceroy of Goa came to an anchor in the road of St. Denis, and was invited to 
dinner by the Governor; but he had no sooner landed, than a piratical vessel of 
fifty guns moored alongside, and took possession of it. The Captain then came on 
shore, invited himself to dine with the Governor, placed himself at table between 
him and the Viceroy, and informed the latter that he was his prisoner. When the 
wine and good cheer had brought die sailor into good humour, M. Desforges, 
the Governor, demanded at what sum he would fix the ransom of the Viceroy: 4 I 
must have,’ answered the pirate, ‘ a thousand piastres.’— 4 That is too little,’ replied 
M. Desforges, 4 for a brave man like you, and a person of high distinction like 
him: demand more, or nothing.’ ‘ Well then,’ said the generous corsair, * I give 
him his liberty.’ The Viceroy immediately re-embarked and set sail, equally grateful 
to the address of the Governor and the liberality of the pirate. 
" Since that period, the number of inhabitants has increased, and agriculture has 
flourished. At present there are sixty thousand slaves, and five thousand white 
inhabitants, t 
“ This island, which is better cultivated than the Isle of France, depends, never¬ 
theless, upon the latter, for its exterior commerce. It produced, in 1768, twenty 
thousand quintals of corn, and the same quantity of coffee, without mentioning 
rice and other productions, which are consumed within itself. Herds of cattle are 
not uncommon. The King pays fifteen livres for an hundred weight of corn, and 
the inhabitants sold'the quintal of coffee for forty-five livres in piastres, or seventy 
livres in paper. 
v There is nothing worthy of observation at St. Denis but an inclosed stone 
* St. Pierre. f Idem. 
