HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 263 
they shall not bear arms against France till they have been exchanged, either in 
India or in Europe. 
<s On these conditions, the Watreguel-gate shall be delivered up to M. de la 
Bourdonnais at two in the afternoon; the different posts shall be relieved by his 
troops ; and the mines, counter-mines, and other subterraneous places charged with 
powder, shall be discovered. 
44 Concluded in the French camp, the 21st September, 1746.—Signed, 
N. Morse, William Monson, J. Hally-Burton, Deputies. 
64 Acknowledged to be a true copy. Despremesnil, Mahe de la Villebague, 
G. Desjardin.” 
When M. de la Bourdonnais had entered the town, he was informed by the 
Governor that a disorderly spirit reigned there; that the soldiers had been outra¬ 
geous ; and that many of them had declared they could be content to suffer death 
themselves, if they could but kill the French general. Accordingly twelve of his 
officers proposed to accompany him as his guard, which they effectually did, the 
rest of the day. 
His first care was to insure the safety of his conquest, by posting guards round the 
place, with a general order not to suffer any effects whatever to be taken out of it. 
Having employed these precautions, M. de la Bourdonnais repaired to the church 
of the Capuchins, where the ladies had taken refuge; and with great politeness 
desired them to return to their respective houses, and live there as they had been 
used to do, without the least apprehension of insult or ill treatment of any kind, 
as they might be assured of his protection. 
M. de la Bourdonnais now proceeded to take possession of the government; and 
having assisted at a public Te Deam for the success of his arms, dispatched expresses 
to M. Dupleix, to inform him of his good fortune. 
He remained at Madras to establish security, good order, and plenty; and it 
may be said, without the least fear of contradiction, that from the day after the entry 
of M. de la Bourdonnais, the police was as well observed as in any town of Europe. 
The inhabitants were disarmed, and the English soldiers and sailors were sent as pri¬ 
soners on board the French ships. Having therefore discharged these preliminary cares, 
he proceeded on the following plan, to derive all possible advantage from his conquest, 
and to avail himself of the superiority which his squadron gave him in the Indies. 
