HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
289 
We shall not enter into a detail of all the foolish enterprizes undertaken against 
Gondelour* by M. Dupleix, which failed in four distinct attempts ; + it will be 
sufficient to mention, that the mortification he suffered, on his troops being conti¬ 
nually beaten and repulsed by the Moors, led on by English officers, incited him to 
execute an act of vengeance, which cost the Company dear. He dispatched a large 
detachment from Madras to ravage the lands of the Moors; and the spirit of devas¬ 
tation was, on this occasion, carried to the utmost excess: fifteen Moorish villages 
were burned, with an immense quantity of grain and effects which they contained. 
Murder was also added to rapine and destruction ; the French killed all they met, 
and accompanied this horrid enterprize with the most abominable and wanton: 
barbarity. 
An expedition so cruel in itself, and so dangerous in its consequences, disgusted 
all the French who were at Madras: the officer who commanded the detachment was^ 
loaded with reproaches; and he had no other mode of excusing himself, but by 
distributing copies of the orders which he had received : as for the Moors, they 
meditated an ample vengeance. M. Dupleix, therefore, perceiving the danger that 
threatened him, found a resource in negotiations, and obtained a peace by dint of 
treasure; so that both the war and the peace were equally dishonourable to the 
nation, and ruinous to the Company. 
Such a succession of misfortunes, occasioned by his own conduct, did not fail to 
mortify the vanity of M. Dupleix, who could not but perceive that comparisons 
were daily made between him and M. de la Bourdonnais, to his disadvantage; but 
such as ventured to express themselves aloud in favour of the latter, were sure to 
experience the resentment of the former: they had their place also in the libel 
fabricated by M. Paradis, to be sent to the Minister and the Company. 
In order to continue the history of M. de la Bourdonnais, we must return to the 
Isle of France, where we had left him, and from whence we shall attend him to the 
fatal moment that conducted him to the Bastile. 
On his arrival at the Isle of France, M. de la Bourdonnais found his place 
occupied by M. David, whom the Company had named as his successor. The 
latter had received orders to make every possible inquiry, and obtain all possible 
• Cuddalore. 
f The fourth attempt was made while the English were before Pondicherry. 
Pp 
