HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 413 
and to render the Directors more attentive to their functions, those of Paris were 
obliged to subscribe at least twenty thousand livres, and those of provinces the 
moiety of that sum. 
The first armament was completed in the month of March, 1665. It consisted 
of four vessels, which were sent to Madagascar, now named the Isle Daupbine. 
M. de Beausse, who went with the squadron, was appointed the Governor. Orders 
were also given to examine, in their way, the Isle Mascaregnas, as well as a neigh¬ 
bouring isle, of which the French had possessed themselves some years before, and 
had been named the Isle de Bourbon. Twenty passengers, whom the squadron 
now left there, laid the foundation of that establishment, which France has possessed 
from that period. 
The differences that took place at Madagascar, between the officers of the new 
Company, and Chamargou, the agent of the house of Mazarin, prevented those 
advantages which might otherwise have been derived from this first expedition. 
The following year the Company fitted out twelve merchant ships, which were 
escorted by four of the King’s ships, commanded by the Marquis de Mondevergue, 
who was invested with the rank of Admiral and Lieutenant General in all places 
beyond the line. Caron and De Faye, two experienced merchants, were on board 
this fleet. Mondevergue arrived the 10th of May, 1667, in sight of Madagascar, 
and came to moorings in the road of Fort Dauphin. Though the French had been 
upwards of twenty years established in this place, it was in such a miserable and 
neglected state, as at once to astonish and mortify the new Governor. De Faye 
and Caron were charged with the direction of all commercial concerns ; but these 
new agents soon perceived, that the hopes which had been excited respecting the 
trade of Madagascar had no foundation whatever, and that this island could yield 
no advantage but as a magazine for the merchandize of India. The report from 
these persons was dispatched for the information and instructions of the Company; 
and, in the interval, the squadron set sail for Surat, and in 1668 the foundation was 
laid of the first factory that France possessed in India. 
M. de la Haye succeeded to the Marquis Mondevergue, who had not conducted 
himself to the satisfaction of M. Colbert, and arrived in the road of Fort Dauphin, 
in 1670, with a fleet of nine ships, which carried from thirty-four to fifty-six guns. 
He experienced the same obstacles that his predecessors had done, from Chamargou 
and the other colonists of the island, who were always caballing in opposition to the 
