304 
HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
„ . •, . f Two or three balls, four or five flints, or 
“ A partridge, a turtle, ora quail - •] ’ * 
\ three needles. 
“ A pot containing three quarts - Two knives, or twelve needles. 
ic Four measures of mead, or wine made'i 
from honey - - f A knife, or ten balls, or six flints. 
tc A pot of honey with the wax - J 
. . , „ [Two pounds of powder, or six balls, or 
" A pot containing three quarts or milk . . ' 
eight flints, or eight needles. 
ft When the King pays his first visit to a French ship, he generally brings a present 
of two bullocks, one cow, three capons, two fowls, two baskets of rice, and some 
pots of honey with the wax. 
“ The King is well contented when they receive his present with pleasure, and that 
he receives in return, the usual acknowledgments of muskets, white and blue coarse 
linen, with looking glasses, flints. See. 
“ This is the best information I could obtain,” continues Admiral Kempenfelt, 
from the French officers: but as I have observed that the inhabitants of the west 
coast of Madagascar, in Saint Augustine Bay, where I have twice been within the 
last four years, make a considerable progress in commercial knowledge, and 
gradually advance the price of their merchandize, I have no doubt but it is the 
same on the eastern coast, and that the prices of mercantile articles vary there 
every year. 
<c I am of opinion, that the captains of India ships would not find it lost time, if 
they were to go in search of some other commodious port, on the coast of this island, 
where the inhabitants have not yet been instructed by their commerce with the 
nations of Europe. 
“ We have added but little for many years to our knowledge of foreign coasts; 
and we appear satisfied with the discoveries of our fathers, as if our charts had 
attained their utmost degree of perfection.* 
tf Captains who miss their passage by die Cape of Good Hope, and put into the 
Bay of Saint Augustine, where they sometimes remain for two or three months, 
without any employment, might employ their officers and principal boat in very 
useful objects, and without the least danger, if they had either a becoming am¬ 
bition, or a laudable curiosity.” 
* It must be observed, that this account was written in the year 1758. 
