HISTORY OF MAURITIUS 
219 
This gentleman is an old officer, who has served with honour both in France 
and India; and may, with great truth, be represented as superior to the generality 
of mankind, from his understanding, his knowledge, and the qualities of his character. 
He is distinguished here by the title of the Philosopher , and he deserves it; for in the 
most elevating sense of the expression, he is a lover of wisdom. In the early part 
of his life, the vivacity of his temper, heightened by the military spirit of that 
period, engaged him in frequent affairs of honour; and the last having taken place 
with’a nobleman in the service of the court, in the garden of Versailles, and under 
the very windows of the king’s apartment, it threatened the most serious conse¬ 
quences. But M. de Maupou, then in high office, to whom he was related, 
persuaded him to quit the kingdom, and procured him a commission in India, 
where he served with distinction. 
If it were consistent with the objects of this work, it would be a delightful cir¬ 
cumstance to dwell on the virtues and extraordinary qualities of this family. I must, 
however, confine myself to one of them, M. de Grenville de Forval, the second son 
of M. de Grenville. Some events relative to him are so connected with the man¬ 
ners of these islands, and so remarkable in themselves, that they will at the same 
time heighten the interest, as well as add to the information of this work. 
In these islands there is not a single example of a deformed or crooked shape, 
which must arise from the natural and unrestrained mode of education which pre¬ 
vails there. To these advantages, Forval united a martial air, blended with a slight 
appearance of severity, and an approved courage, to the most noble and generous 
sentiments that are found in the human breast. 
The want of slaves in our colonies, renders expeditions necessary in order to 
procure them. Vessels, therefore, are equipped for the coasts of Africa and Mada¬ 
gascar, and a certain body of troops are sent with them, to favour or support the 
objects of these voyages. 
Forval was ordered to command a detachment on a service of this nature, on the 
coast of Madagascar; and being arrived on the eastern side of it, he disembarked 
his people, and encamped them on the small island of St. Mary, called by the 
natives, Ibrahim, which is separated only from the principal island by a very narrow 
strait. Here the communications took place between the persons engaged in this 
expedition, and one of the petty princes of Madagascar, relative to the objects of 
the voyage. 
F f 2 
