214 
HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
By the next arrivals from Europe, we shall be informed if it be peace or war. 
We are, at all events, making preparations to defend ourselves in case of an attack, 
and the Creoles are all soldiers. As for the rest of our population, it consists of an 
handful of people from every province in France; with whom, I must acknowledge, 
it would be indiscreet to form an intimate connection, without much preliminary 
precaution and experience. 
Grant. 
LETTER V. 
Isle of France, 28th of December, 1744. 
It is now a year since we expected a large vessel, called the St. Geran , which was 
appointed to bring the necessary supplies to these islands, and it arrived only to be 
shipwrecked on this coast, off a small adjoining uninhabited island, called the Isle 
d’Ambre. The pilot, who had never been employed but in very small vessels, knew 
not how to guide so large a ship on this perilous coast; so that she was lost with all 
her cargo, and only seven of her crew escaped. We are destined to remain with¬ 
out those comforts and supplies with which this unfortunate vessel was laden, till 
the Company, on being informed of the loss we have sustained, can make the 
necessary preparation to dispatch another cargo for our relief.* 
* The following description of this shipwreck, is taken from the Romance of Paul and Virginia, 
by M. de St. Pierre ; and as it is an accurate relation of this misfortune, we shall make no apology 
for giving it in the words of that admired and interesting work. 
“ On the 24th of December, 1744, at break of day, Paul, when he arose, perceived a white flag 
on the mountain De la Decouverte, which was the signal of a vessel descried at sea. He, flew to the 
town, in order to learn if this vessel brought any tidings of Virginia, and waited till the return of 
the pilot, who was gone, as,usual* to visit the ship. The pilot returned, with the information that 
the vessel was the St. Geran, of seven hundred tons, commanded by a captain of the name of Aubin; 
that the ship was four leagues out at sea, and would anchor at Port Louis the following afternoon, 
if the wind proved favourable; but it was then a calm. It was about ten at night, when, as I was 
about to extinguish my lamp and retire to rest, I perceived, through the palisadoes of my hut, 
a light in the woods. I arose, and had just dressed myself, when Paul, half wild and panting for 
breath, sprang on my neck, exclaiming, « Come along, Virginia is arrived ! Let us go to the port; 
the vessel will anchor at break of day.’ 
f‘ We instantly departed; and as we traversed the woods of the sloping mountain, and were 
already on the road whkh leads from the Shaddock Grove to the Port, I heard some one walking 
