167 
The cry of “ Yes !” then resounded from all quarters, 
intermixed with praises and approbation. 
When this noise had subsided, he cried out, with a 
voice like thunder, “ Thou hearest, Bigorne, the wish of 
the cabar; it is the law of the chiefs—it is the desire 
of the people who trade with the whites. Explain 
fully to thy masters what I have just now proposed. 
If they accept the terms, we will confirm the treaty, 
by a solemn sacrifice.—If they will not accept it, let 
them depart!—-We have no provisions to give them.” 
We know not whether Rabefin held the office 
of attorney or solicitor-general to John Harre; but 
we think our readers will agree with us, that this 
speech would have reflected no discredit upon a 
more polished mind. It was translated by Bigorne 
to Monsieur Poivre, who attended on behalf of 
the government of the Isle of France. That gen¬ 
tleman, who possessed highly cultivated talents, 
was struck with surprise and delight at the energy 
of its language, and with the force and solidity 
of its reasoning. He ordered Bigorne to inform 
the assembly, that the merchants of Foule Point 
should be immediately paid for all the provisions 
they had supplied to the French ships. He also 
augmented the salaries of those domestics who 
were in the service of the whites: but he had 
no authority to make any alteration in the usual 
price of provisions. He employed every thing of 
a conciliatory nature that could awaken the sensi¬ 
bility of the chiefs; and, treating them as friends 
