512 
HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
reported to be. The shore, in many parts, is high and rocky, but there are several 
flats, very convenient for landing, along the coasts, and where the sea is deep enough 
to admit of the approach of frigates to cover a landing, although they are defended 
by strong batteries. Our ship, which carried six hundred tons, drew near enough 
to the shore to make her guns bear with advantage. 
“ Port Louis is situated at the bottom of a triangular bay. There is a good 
dock-yard here, and a port capable of containing two hundred vessels. The French 
practised the farce of sending a pilot to steer loaded vessels along the channel for the 
two last miles, .between two rows of white flags, regularly placed, as if it were the 
only practicable spot of it: but I have seen vessels of a considerable burthen 
going within and without those flags at pleasure, and the wind frequently blowing in 
all directions. 
" The town is large, and the houses, principally built of wood, form One continued 
street, about a mile and a half long; it has more resemblance to an European town, 
than any other I have seen on this side of the Cape, as well for its bustling com¬ 
merce, as in the agreeable appearance of its inhabitants; while the women, who are 
very numerous, are remarkably handsome and engaging in their manners, and pos¬ 
sess, as it is generally believed, all the gallantry of their mother-country. I was 
treated here with the greatest civility, and particularly by the Governor, who granted 
me permission to walk wherever I pleased. 
“ I think it is very much to be regretted that the British government, in the last 
war, did not direct its first efforts against this island : a well-directed blow against 
the root of the tree would have caused all its branches to fall. It would have 
been the most certain and quickest method of subduing the French power in 
this quarter of the globe. Had this measure been adopted, the English would not 
only have been able to overthrow Hyder Ali, but even to give a good account of 
the Dutch and Spanish settlements in the East Indies. 
“ The principal inhabitants of this island laugh at our not having sent, in the be¬ 
ginning of the war, Sir Edward Hughes’s squadron to attack it on his way to Ma¬ 
dras. One of the most respectable persons of the town frankly assured me they 
were much afraid of it, and that the island was in such a sad state of defence, that, 
anticipating this event, they had already begun to think of the articles of capitula¬ 
tion. The Isles of France and Bourbon would infallibly have fallen into our hands; 
for at this time scarcely any works of defence had been raised, and there were not 
