HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
537 
The particulars of our proceedings, from our first leaving Jemaul-abaud, until 
our arrival at the port of Cowriaul, Mangalore, in the Khoodadaud Sirkar, are as 
follow : 
On Sunday, the 17th of Zaukree, 1225 of the birth of Mahommed (5th De¬ 
cember, 1797), we embarked. Ripaud* occasioned the delay of a day or two in 
adjusting the equipments of the vessel, See. On the 19th, we weighed anchor. 
After proceeding five or six coss t out to sea, Ripaud, accompanied by several 
persons, came to us in a very disorderly manner, desiring us to shew them the 
letters which had been entrusted to us for the Sirdars, or chiefs, at Mauritius; 
we observed, that our orders from the Presence were, not to open the dispatches 
until our arrival there, and that it was not becoming in him, who had laid the 
foundation of the present expedition, and was acquainted with all circumstances, 
to take such a step. But our persuasions were of no avail; for he took the dis¬ 
patches from us by force, and, tearing open the leathern envelope, wanted to open 
the khereetahs £ also ; we told him that he would be disgraced, and his improper 
proceedings exposed to his whole nation ; adding, that it was highly unbecoming 
in him to be guilty of such treachery and misconduct: that until our arrival at 
Mauritius , we respected these khereetahs as our lives, and that we would sacrifice 
them in our endeavours to deliver these khereetahs as we had been directed by the 
Presence. Upon this, he restored them to us. The next day he came to us, and 
desired that we would make over to him the money which had been given to us by 
the Presence, for him and his French associates, otherwise, said he, I will go to 
Umba'ee (meaning, perhaps, towards Bombay), and other parts, for plunder, and will 
* Ripaud, who commanded a French privateer, was, by stress of weather, obliged to put into 
Mangalore, in the latter part of 1796. He was there apprehended, sent to Seringapatam, and 
confined. Ripaud (who is a violent republican), being interrogated by Tippoo Sultaun with 
respect to the disposition and ability of the French to co-operate in an attack against the Eng¬ 
lish Company’s possessions, encouraged the Sultaun to expect a powerful co-operation; and to 
effect his delivery, magnified the resources of his nation, and induced the Sultaun to believe, 
that a very considerable force was already assembled at the Isle of France, and only waited his 
summons. Tippoo therefore retained Ripaud as a vackeel, and sent him with his ambassadors to 
Mauritius. 
f A coss is usually reckoned equal to about two miles English. 
t Khereetahs are the bags or cases of tissue, or silk, in which letters addressed to persons of 
rank are usually enclosed. 
3Z 
