HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
2 93 
impose very powerfully on the public opinion. It was not to be supposed that 
such united testimonies were founded in falsehood or misrepresentation. Besides, 
the facts charged in these libels were of a very serious nature, since he was accused 
of nothing less than holding intelligence with the enemies of the state, of disobe¬ 
dience to the orders of the King, and of misapplication of the funds and effects of 
the Company. It was not, therefore, possible for the minister to enter, of himself, 
into the examination of an affair which would probably require a very long dis¬ 
cussion : on the other hand, it would not be prudent to leave a man in the enjoy¬ 
ment of his liberty, who was charged with so many capital offences. Thus M. de 
la Bourdonnais became the victim of state necessity, and no sooner appeared at 
Versailles, than he was arrested by order of the King, and conducted to the Bastile 
on the 2d of March, 1748. 
By letters patent of the 7th of the same month, his Majesty named commissioners 
to examine the affair of M. de la Bourdonnais; who, after he had languished twenty- 
six months in prison, decreed that he should have permission to communicate with 
his council. 
It has been said, that the interest of his wife alone, who was of the family of 
Auteuil, preserved him from being sacrificed: but, whether it was from chagrin, 
or some other cause, he did not long survive.* 
M. de la Bourdonnais however was soon revenged. M. Dupleix was, in his 
turn, obliged to render an account of his conduct, and died in a state of penury, 
having lost the fruit of his labours. 
Continuation of the Letter , dated 10 th of March, 1748. 
This war, as you see, continues; and whole fleets, which were destined for our 
island, have been taken or destroyed; so that a few corvettes alone arrive here to 
announce these disasters, and they are very often in a crippled and dismasted 
condition. 
We have been informed that fifteen ships have been dispatched from the East, 
laden with provisions for our islands; but unfortunately the English fell in with 
them, and, being superior in point of force, have taken them all, except a small vessel, 
which escaped to make us acquainted with our misfortunes. We live at present 
in a most wretched state of incertitude, in want of every thing; and, to complete 
• It has been suspected that he was poisoned. 
