286 
HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
At length, however, he grew calm, abandoned his late senseless project, and even 
condescended to consult his Council, as to the manner in which these vessels should 
be employed. The Council replied, that there was no choice;—they must pro¬ 
ceed to the isles. But M. Dupleix rejected this proposition; and, from an appre¬ 
hension of attracting new invectives, the Council consented to send the ships to the 
coast of Malabar, where it was pretended that they would be in a state of security; 
as their principal object was to keep them out of the way of the English. Such 
conduct also formed a part of the instructions given to the Captains. They went 
therefore successively to Galle in the island of Ceylon, to Colche on the coast of 
Malabar, to Mahe and Goa, &c. Thus did these ships, in going from road to road, 
and traversing the seas without any particular view or project, wear themselves out, 
diminish their equipages, and involve the Company in needless expences; while, un¬ 
der the command of an experienced officer, who would have brought the whole force 
of the Company to have acted together, it would have rivalled that of the enemy, 
made advantageous diversions, engaged in useful enterprizes, or, at least, have trans¬ 
ported to Europe the cargoes necessary to sustain the credit of the Company. On 
the contrary, what has been the fate of the greater part of these vessels P—The 
St. Louis was forced to run ashore, the Princess Mary perished from the want of 
repairs, and the Neptune was burned under the cannon of Madras. With respect 
to the rest, they were preserved by the resolution of the Captains, who, after 
holding a council on their situation, and being satisfied of the impossibility that 
they could any longer keep the sea, determined, whatever might be the wishes of 
M. Dupleix, to proceed to the isles, where they repaired their ships and refreshed 
their crews. * 
In the mean time the prediction of M. de la Rourdonnais was accomplished; 
all the English force in India was united, and eight ships, among others, kept a 
regular cruize from Fort St. David to Madras; so that Pondicherry and Madras 
were entirely blocked by sea, while the Moors blockaded them by land. 
It may be remembered that, in three of his letters to M. de la Bourdonnais, 
M. Dupleix had declared his absolute engagements to give up Madras to the Nabob. 
This promise was certainly inconsiderate; and it was to enforce the completion of 
it that the Moors had taken up arms. They had already marched a considerable 
* These vessels afterwards afforded succour to Pondicherry, under the command of M. Bouvet. 
