HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
37 1 
Last year the Isle of Bourbon was in a state of absolute desolation. A small 
insect infested the coffee trees, destroyed the bud, and even some of the trees; at 
the same time the Company declared its intention to diminish the price that it had 
been accustomed to pay, which is five sous the pound. The inhabitants, however, 
have taken courage this year, and it is said that they have gathered two millions 
five hundred thousand pounds weight. 
I informed you about two years ago, that we possessed M. d’Apres in this 
island. He is this year returned to us, and has brought on board his ship the cele¬ 
brated Abbe de la CailLe, who is arrived from the Cape of Good Hope, where he 
‘has greatly enlarged the knowledge of astronomy towards the South Pole. He 
has already made some geometrical observations on our island, as M. d’Apres had 
done before him. He possesses an indefatigable mind, and his labours will be of 
great importance to government, to these islands, and particularly to the voyagers 
who are obliged to visit them. 
Grant. 
Journal of the Voyage of Abbe de la Caille,frotn the Cape of Good Hope to the 
Isle of France, and his Operations there . 
<( March 4, 1753. The French ship the Due de Parme, commanded by M. de 
la Crochay, came to her moorings at the Cape, and brought me a letter from M. 
Trudaine, dated the 18th of March, 1752, and two others from M. Duhamel and 
M. d’Apres. That from M. Trudaine contains a permission from the Garde des 
Sceaux, to indulge in any expence that I may consider as necessary to the advance¬ 
ment of the sciences. 
“8. At six in the morning I left the Cape, in the boat of M. de Ruyter, to em¬ 
bark on board the ship the Puissieux, for the Isles of France and Bourbon. At 
noon, the castle, batteries, and ships in the road, discharged a salute in honour of 
the birth-day of the Stadtholder. Soon after we got under way. 
u April 5. Squalls and gales of wind in the morning, with an high sea. In the 
afternoon we saw a great number of birds, which flew round our ship, and having 
lighted on the ropes and rigging, suffered themselves to be taken by the hand. These 
birds are called Goilettes * In the evening they were all gone. 
Or Querets, (Gulls) Larus, Brisson. 
3 B 2 
