5i 6 
HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
“ service of the sirkar, should his highness be disposed to entertain them, agree- 
" ably to the accustomed rate of our sirkar, his highness will send money with his 
“ ambassadors: and then you may enlist men, and send them accordingly : in 
<c the mean time, do us the favour to give us leave to return to the Presence.”— 
General Malartic wrote in answer, and also sent word by Monsieur des Combres, 
and-dewan, that he proposed sending Messrs. Chapuis and Dubuc, with 
several other sirdars, to your highness, with this view; that until the arrival of the 
French succours from Europe, the former should reside at the Presence in quality 
of plenipotentiary; that the other Frenchmen might not, by telling falsities, like 
Ripaud, deceive your highness; and that Monsieur Dubuc might be deputed to 
France, together with your highness’s ambassadors, at the opening of the season, 
to negociate on the part of your highness: as by his going, many points of great 
importance would be effected. For these reasons, he said, he proposed sending 
tlyese persons to the Presence, that hereafter, should your highness approve of 
engaging Frenchmen for your service, they should be entertained at the rate, and 
according to the customs of the sirkar, and sent accordingly. 
Refuge of the World!—After the lapse of eighteen days, the ship which had been 
sent to Bourbon, returned empty. It appeared, that a great many men wished to 
come, but were prevented by the want of means. On being informed of this. 
General Malartic sent word to us, that he proposed, in the course of five or six 
days, to send us to Bourbon; that we might carry to your highness as many men 
as were willing to accompany us. General Mangalon paying us a visit, we stated 
to him, that it would be very gratifying, if he would accompany the troops destined 
for the service of the state: to which he replied, that when a considerable force 
should arrive from Europe, for the purpose of subduing the enemy, he would 
accompany it to the Presence, and he desired that we would make that represen¬ 
tation to your higness. After sitting two hours, he took leave. Four days after, 
General Malartic sent for us to his house, at three o’clock in the afternoon, and 
then proposed to us to embark the following morning at nine o clock, adding, that 
he himself would accompany us on board of ship, to take leave. 
On the next day, being Thursday the 21st of Rubbaunee, 1225, (8th March 
1798), of the birth of Mahommed, we set out. When we arrived at the bank 
of the river, several sirdars accompanied us in the boat, and escorted us on board 
the ship, (the frigate la Preneuses, where they took leave. General Malartic, 
