4i 
1671 ] of the Island Dauphine , &c. 
would always be danger that this Ramousset or his allies 
might attack and make a Souvou. After the Garrisons Souvou is a 
had been posted by Monsieur the Admiral, he return’d with Slacks who 
the Officers and the rest of the Troops to Fort Dauphin, night & 
This Ramousset had been with Monsieur Champmargou 2 tlla £ e - 
& had serv’d as one of the porters of his palanquin, which 
is the method of carrying the Chiefs in this country. 
Since leaving him he had rais’d himself by his address, 
& become redoubtable by his bravery, among the other 
Blacks. He had always serv’d the French well in the 
wars & expeditions whenever they employ’d him. 
Shortly after these things many Blacks assembl’d them¬ 
selves under the leadership of Rafesle^ a native of the 
Island, who had been Head-man of a village under the 
Sieur de la Casse. Under pretence of assisting Ramousset, 
they made a number of Souvous against the French Settlers, 
whom they saw undefended by any Garrison, going by 
night into their settlements, which they pillag’d, & carry’d 
off what there was, & driving away the cattle. They went, 
among others, to a place named Marfoutou , belonging to 
Sieur Mesnard, an old Inhabitant of the Island. They 
burnt the Village, took all that was in it without leaving a 
fowl, carry’d off five or six hundred great horned cattle, 
Oxen & Cows, & quantities of Sheep, Goats & Pigs. The 
loss was estimated at 10,000 livres. 
Ramousset & Rafesle kill’d two Frenchmen in these 
reprisals. Having found them unprepar’d, they murdered 
them in the country. The French did what they could to 
take Rafesle, but that was impossible. 
After the return of Monsieur the Admiral and his 
Troops to Fort Dauphin, between their return & until the 
month of April 1671, there dy’d 300 men of sickness, both 
Officers, Soldiers & Sailors; few persons escap’d the 
malady. Monsieur the Admiral, and the Sieurs de la 
Raturierre & de Champmargou, thought they would die. 
