HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 325 
from the observation of the Abbe Rochon. I have, however, according to the 
latter, placed it in 53 0 15'. 
" M. Picault having taken possession of these isles in the name of the King, 
denominated them the Isles de la Bourdonnais , and to the principal of them gave 
the appellation of Mahd , which I have preserved. 
<c In the year 1756, M. Magon, then Governor of the Isles of France and Bour¬ 
bon, having been informed of the advantages which might be derived from the Isles 
de Mabe } sent thither the Cerf frigate, under the command of M. Morphey, a very- 
intelligent officer, who joined to the necessary qualities of a navigator, all the know¬ 
ledge which would enable him to acquit himself with honour in this important mission. 
To this frigate was added the Saint Benoit schooner, commanded by M. Prejan, to 
second the objects of this expedition. 
<c As M. Morphey was determined, at the same time, to reconnoitre the Isles 
which the Charles and Elizabeth had discovered, he took his course, on quitting 
Bourbon, the 31st of July, to fall in with the Isles Astove and Jean de Nave , ac¬ 
cording to the situation which I had given them on my chart. 
“ On the 9th of August he discovered a reef, on which there were two small 
sandy islets, whose latitude by observation was 9 0 36', and whose longitude, accord¬ 
ing to the dead reckoning, was 50° 15'. Though they stood on their course to 
approach these islets, they soon lost sight of them from a violent current, which bore 
them away to the south-west; and notwithstanding every effort was made during 
the night to stand in for them, on the following morning they perceived a different 
island to the north, to which they bore up, and ranged along it at the distance of 
six hundred fathoms. Its latitude was determined by a correct observation to be in 
9 0 22', and M. Morphey sent a party to examine it. 
“ This island is no more than a bank of chalky rocks and white coral, which is 
about three leagues in circumference, and may be seen at the distance of five or six 
leagues. The small quantity of earth which is found there, appears to be nothing 
more than a mixture of decayed wood and leaves, and the loftiest trees are not more 
than ten feet high. There are water-fowl in great abundance, with many other birds, 
and a large kind of crab. The shore is very steep, and at half a cable’s length from 
it no bottom is found at less than twenty fathom. M. Morphey not finding this isle 
marked on any chart, named it the Isle des Cerfs , though, according to all appear¬ 
ance, it was the Isle de St. Pierre , seen by many of our vessels in their passage to 
Tt 2 
