HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
39 * 
by that study, and he at once, devoted himself to mathematical pursuits. He soon 
after became the pupil of M. Cassini, was settled at the observatory, and surpassed 
the most sanguine expectations of that renowned astronomer. The first observations 
of the Abbe de la Caille are in the month of May, 1737. 
“ M. Cassini, proud of the assistant which he had gained, took every opportunity 
of declaring his rare and superior talents. M. Maraldi, who was a witness of the 
extraordinary capacity and progress of the young astronomer, became at once his 
admirer and his friend. Assisted by these two learned men, he proceeded in his 
career with the rapidity that might be expected from such a pupil of such masters. 
He unfortunately lost the former by an unforeseen accident; but the latter sur¬ 
vived to continue his friendship and protection. 
<l In the month of May, 1738, he accompanied M. Maraldi who was employed 
to lay down the sea chart from Nantes to Bayonne; an operation in which he gave 
new proofs of his talents. 
“ M. Dominic Cassini, M. de la Hyre, and M. Maraldi, uncle of the academic 
cian of our day, had undertaken, in the year 1690, to trace a meridian from the 
south to the north of France : this operation was completed in the year 1718 by 
M. M. Cassini and Maraldi; but as the instruments of that period were less perfect 
than those which are in use in our time, certain errors were unavoidably blended 
with it, and twenty years passed away without any attempt being made to correct 
them. M. Cassini had indeed formed the design, and he now charged the Abbe 
de la Caille, and his son M. Thury, with the execution of it. This undertaking was 
also calculated to facilitate the execution of a geometrical description of France, 
which M. Cassini had been commissioned to undertake by M. Orry, Comptroller 
of the Finances; and which was necessarily to commence by a parallel of Paris, 
which M. Cassini had already begun. 
“ The new meridian was to be traced from Perpignan to Dunkirk. The Abbe 
de la Caille, therefore, set out for the former place with M. Thury, in the month 
of July, 1739, and he was no sooner arrived there, than he began that part of 
the operations particularly entrusted to him, which he continued to the end of 
October. 
“ In November he was recalled to Paris, to take possession of the Mathematical 
Chair in the Mazarin college ; and he then returned to Perpignan. The cold, which 
became excessive at the end of November, and throughout the following month, 
