540 
HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
of our coming was to inquire after the health of your majesty’s friends, as no news 
of them had reached the Presence for several years, and therefore your majesty had 
deputed us to all the sirdars, that we might ascertain and return with an account of 
the welfare of your majesty’s friends. I then took the kbereetabs , containing your 
majesty’s letters, in my hands, rose from my seat, and addressing the sirdars, told 
them that they must take the royal letters with respect. Upon this, General Malartic 
arose, and taking off his hat, received the letters from my hands. In the same man¬ 
ner General Sercey rose from his place, and came up to me, and then I delivered 
to him his letter also. General Magalon was not then present, but General Malartic 
told us, that if we would deliver to him your highness’s letter to General Magalon, 
he would take care to convey it to that officer, and obtain his receipt for it: we accord¬ 
ingly delivered the august letter into the hands of General Malartic. When I after¬ 
wards inquired who was the president of the council; Malartic desired Monsieur des 
Combres to rise and take the letters. At the time of our landing, we desired Ripaud 
to accompany us, which, however, he did not; but, in about one hour after our ar¬ 
rival, he came to the assembly, and holding his hat under his arm, stood at a distance. 
We told General Malartic that Monsieur de Bay had been sent from the Presence 
to be tire interpreter between him and us, in any negociations which might take place 
between us; in consequence of which, he called de Bay, and observed to him, 
that in your highness’s letter Yoosuf-Alli was mentioned, as the person deputed, 
whereas our names were Hussem-Alli and Shaik-Ibrahim, and desired to know the 
reason of this. This being explained to us by de Bay, I answered, that Meer- 
Yoosuf-Alli had been originally appointed, but being afflicted with illness, he had 
been set aside, and your highnessjrad deputed us instead. We then told General 
Malartic that we had several points of a secret nature to communicate to him, and 
therefore if he would send for us in private, we would unfold to him what 
your highness had directed. General Malartic answered, “ At three o’clock we 
will visit you at your place of residence j” we then took our leave. General Ma¬ 
lartic provided us both with palanquins, and directed the bearers to remain with us 
as long as we continued on the island, and he gave us a garden close to the city to 
reside in. At three o’clock all the sirdars came to visit us: we accordingly went 
to meet them as far as the garden gate, and conducted them into the house with 
all due ceremony and respect. We seated them on chairs, and addressed them to 
this effect: “ The object of our king, in desiring to form an alliance with the 
