HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
403 
back to the seas in the vicinity of Japan till the return of the west monsoon. This 
vessel will have but two months at most to arrive at the entrance of the northern 
passage, and if unfortunately it should meet with any obstacles or delay during that 
period, it will risk the arriving too late at the passage, and find it shut. 
ft It appears indeed to me, that obstacles are not only possible, but probable; 
because beyond 40° of latitude, whether northern or southern, the winds are variable, 
as is well known ; and even blew oftener from the north-west to the south-west, than 
from any other point of the horizon. Now, the west or north-west winds, which are 
very good winds for the outward voyage, would oftentimes prove contrary on the 
return : but supposing a ship should meet with every favourable circumstance, she 
cannot clear the passage and get back to France before the end of September : thus, 
as she must have taken her departure, at the latest, in the first week of May in the 
preceding year, the voyage will last seventeen months, without even allowing not 
only for possible but even probable delays. 
st The French ships which sail to Canton by the Cape of Good Hope, take their 
departure in the beginning of January, and return about the end of June in the fol¬ 
lowing year, which forms a period of eighteen months, including near two months 
stay at the Isle of France. 
“ They might also, instead of putting into the Cape, draw their refreshments from 
the Straits of Sunda ; the ships might in that case leave France in the months of 
February or March, so that the voyage would not be more than fifteen or sixteen 
months, allowing for accidents. It appears, therefore, that the voyage by the north¬ 
east would be the longest by a month or six weeks. 
“ If it is objected to me, that the ship which I suppose to have gone to China by 
the north passage should return to France by the Cape of Good Hope, and conse¬ 
quently the voyage would not occupy more than fourteen months, and that so far 
from losing a month or six weeks, as I have supposed, that space of time, on the 
contrary, would be gained; I shall answer, that it is not certain, allowing the ship to 
arrive in China in the month of November, that it can complete its cargo for Europe 
before the middle of January, when it is absolutely necessary for her to leave China, 
(if she is to put in any where), in order to double the Cape of Good Hope: I will 
however suppose, that she may be able to sail from Canton, from the 15th to the 20th 
of January, and that thereby the voyage, would be shortened a month or forty days; 
3 F 2 
