Search -
Letters from Mauritius in the Eighteenth Century
Letters from Mauritius in the Eighteenth Century Author:Charles Grant Vaux Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: nais, being persuaded that, in the circumstances wherein he was placed, it would be impossible for him to exert himself to any purpose of distinction or public a... more »dvantage, at least equal to his hopes, demanded permission of the ministers to return to France. This request however was refused; as it was thought absolutely necessary for the welfare of India, that a person of his talents, local knowledge, and integrity, should remain there, for the interest of his country in that part of the globe. M. de la Bourdonnais finding himself obliged to remain in his government, and that he must no longer indulge himself in military speculations, gave himself up entirely to economical arrangements. He employed himself in establishing sugar, indigo, and cotton works, which he had begun at his own expense, and had answered his utmost expectations. LETTER III Isle of France,...... 1742. I informed you in my second letter, of the reception I met with from the Deputy Governor and the Council, who have expressed a desire to keep me in this country, where I may at the same time continue in the service. I accordingly received a grant of a certain quantity of uncultivated ground, in a state to be immediately cleared, as well as six slaves, consisting of two Negro men, two women, with a boy and girl; the men at three hundred livres each, the women at two hundred, and the two others at one hundred and fifty, amounting all together to thirteen hundred livres; to be repaid from the produce of the ground, when it shall be advanced into a state of cultivation. This little troop were for some time employed in a plantation, where they learned to work, and gain their immediate subsistence, which consists of maize; though we begin to grow manioc as food for the slaves. The Captain of the Hercules,...« less