HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
209 
CHAPTER VII. 
The Letters of Baron Grant continued.—Interior State and Condition of the Island. 
—Narrative of the Shipwreck of the St. Geran.—An Account of the Grenville 
Family.—Interesting Circumstances relative to M. de Grenville Forval . 
LETTER III. 
Isle of France,.1742* 
I informed you in my second letter, of the reception I met with from the Deputy 
Governor and the Council, who have expressed a desire to keep me in this country, 
where I may at the same time continue in the service. I accordingly received a 
grant of a certain quantity of uncultivated ground, in a state to be immediately 
cleared, as well as six slaves, consisting of two Negro men, two women, with a boy 
and girl; the men at three hundred livres each, the women at two hundred, and 
the two others at one hundred and fifty, amounting all together to thirteen hundred 
livres; to be repaid from the produce of the ground, when it shall be advanced into 
a state of cultivation. This little troop were for some time employed in a plan¬ 
tation, where they learned to work, and gain their immediate subsistence, which 
consists of maize; though we begin to grow manioc as food for the slaves. The 
Captain of the Hercules, the ship which brought me here, received the first orders 
to take in manioc at the Portuguese island of St. Jago, and we put in there for that 
purpose. 
My allotment of ground is situated between two rivers, which form its limits. 
One of these rivers falls in a cascade of upwards of three hundred feet, at a small 
distance from my situation; which, you will consequently perceive, is in the vicinity 
of the mountains. I soon cleared the ground, which is effected by destroying the 
wood; as the whole of this country, which is not in a state of cultivation, is one 
continued forest; and in attending to this object, I employed the time which 
was not engaged in military duties. These, however, are not very important in 
time of peace. The trees are cut down breast high, and burned: the ground is then 
prepared for seed, and the work of cultivation commences. I received considerable 
E e 
