HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
*05 
The coasts abound in fish, which have been already described, as well as the 
enormoits eels that are found in the rivers. I have frequently killed them with my 
gun in shallow waters. In the rainy and hurricane seasons these rivers become stu- 
pendous cataracts. Our venison, which is fat, is very good, and serves us instead 
of beef: but it must be got from the forests, where the deer are very numerous: 
on account of the heat and their fat, they are easily taken. It is however a circum¬ 
stance to be lamented, that, from the temperature of the air, fresh meat cannot be 
kept longer than two days. 
The birds very much diminish in the woods, as the monkies, which are in great 
numbers, devour their eggs. The parroquets however are still numerous* as they 
make their nests in the holes of the rocks, which the monkies cannot ascend. 
The Governor’s house and the Company’s magazines, which are situated at the 
entrance of the port, are built entirely of stone: the latter are placed in front 
on each side of the former ,■ and the intermediate space, which is considerable, is 
used as a place of arms. These edifices are erected in the Italian style, with flat 
roofs, which serve as terraces. This small town is the habitation of all those who 
are employed in the service of government; as well as of merchants and others 
who are not possessed of plantations. 
The India Company reserves the commerce to itself: it makes advances to 
the inhabitants, and is reimbursed by the produce of their plantations. The money 
of France is not current here, except pieces of two sous, which do not pass for 
more than eighteen deniers, by which valuation we are considerable losers. Of these 
we have adequate supplies; but the seafaring people, who sell us certain contraband 
articles, insist on being paid in currency, on every piece of which they gain one- 
fourth in France: hence it is that our coin is carried away. 
We have Spanish piastres, which with us pass for four livres ten sous, and in 
France are taken for five livres two sous, and sometimes more. If we were per¬ 
mitted to engage in commerce, the profit would be certain, from the exchange in our 
favour. We have, besides, a paper currency, which is confined to the island: it 
consists of parchment bills, from ten to an hundred livres. 
At the time of my arrival, M. de la Bourdonnais was Governor of the Isles of 
France and Bourbon, but he was gone to France, for reasons which will be here¬ 
after explained; and M. St. Martin was Deputy Governor during his absence. 
M. de la Bourdonnais, who may be considered as the founder of this colony, acted 
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