HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
355 
fo India, during the south-west monsoon. He mentions, that at the commencement 
of the trade between France and the East Indies, the ships employed in it always 
took what has since been called the grand track: by which is understood, that they 
began to stand to the south, to get from the region of the general winds, into that 
of the variable ones, with which they would get sufficiently to the east, so as to be 
able, by stretching to the north, and re-entering the region of the general winds at 
south-east by east, to make the land of the Island of Ceylon. 
“ It was in 1723, that the ships the Lys and the Union attempted a new course, 
on the report of certain freebooters, who, having received a pardon, were established 
in the Isle of Bourbon. These two ships left St.^Paul on the 22d of August; on 
the 27th made Madagascar, in 13 0 of latitude ; crossed the line on the 4th of Sep¬ 
tember, in 49 0 of longitude; fell in with the coast of Malabar on the 20th of the 
same month; and, on the 6th of October, arrived at Pondicherry. This was no 
inconsiderable advantage, since the passage by the great track generally occupied 
two months. This course, therefore, has since been generally followed. 
" M. d’Apres, nevertheless, remarks, that this new course requires a circuit of 
8° of longitude towards the west, in order to near ;$he Isle of Madagascar, and con¬ 
sequently eight other degrees towards the east, to regain the meridian of the place 
of departure. It would therefore be much more advantageous to follow the more 
direct course, which has been already mentioned, by passing the Archipelago of 
Madagascar. It is the same which M. le Chevalier Grenier, Lieutenant in the Royal 
Navy, had proposed; and M. d’Apres does not hesitate to declare, that the cor¬ 
rect accounts which have, during some years past, been obtained by the voyages of 
M. Grenier, as well as of M. M. du Roslan and de Kerguelen, who were also officers 
of marine, and expressly sent to verify the possibility of this course, form a body 
of instructions for the secure navigation of it. 
** It is from their observations, that he has marked out the course which vessels 
may follow, in setting sail from the Isles of France or Bourbon, they must pass, first 
to the west of the Banks of Nazareth, and afterwards make the Isle of Agalega\ 
from thence they should steer north by north-east, as far as 5 0 of south latitude, and 
afterwards stretch to the north-east, in order to cross the line, and then choose the 
course which suits the final object of the voyage. 
“ M. d’Apres does not forget to mention a bank discovered by M. de Kerguelen, 
which may be encountered in this track; nor ought we to withhold our applause 
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