When the French were driven from Madagascar by the natives, who, provoked at their oppression and licentiousness, surprised Fort Dauphine, and massacred every white that fell into their hands, those that escaped took refuge in Bourbon, where they found, at a very small expense of labour, tranquillity and plenty. These, with the crew of a privateer which had been wrecked upon the coast, and some Indian women that were on board, formed a consi derable settlement. Having planted aloes, tobacco, and various kinds of roots, they carried on a small trade with any ships that anchored in their roads for the sake of refreshment ; and even built some small vessels of their own, in which they a made a trip to Madagascar to purchase slaves, which they employ ed in their plantations. The new colony was thus increasing in numbers, and in wealtb, when the French East India Company put in their claim, and assum ing the property of the island, sent thither, in 1711, six families and a governor, and established a pro vincial council dependant upon that of Pondicherry. But the inhabitants, either disappointed in their ex pectations, or displeased with the government of their new masters, revolted, at the instigation of a priest, seized the governor, clapped him in a dungeon, and kept him there till hunger and sorrow put an end to his existence. The ringleaders of this revolt, how ever, were afterwards severely punished ; and in 1723, the council of Bourbon was declared supreme and in dependent. But the seditious and mutinous temper continued, and licentiousness, confusion, and anarchy, were the characteristics of this settlement until 1735, when M. de la Bourdennaye was appointed to the supreme command of the Isle of France, and Bour bon. By the active exertions of this gentleman, or der and tranquillity were soon restored to the colony; and the inhabitants found it their interest to obey his directions, and to submit to his authority. Under his government, the island soon began to assume another appearance. industry and subordination suc ceeded to idleness and disaffection. New forts and batteries were raised, and so well supplied with cannon, military and naval stores, and every other mean of defence, that when Admiral Boscawen ap peared before these islands in 1748, he found them so completely fortified, that he was obliged, after some fruitless cannonading, to pursue his voyage.
Upon the breaking out of the revolution, when the mania for liberty and equality was raging in France, these islands resisted with firmness the exe cution of the decree, issued by the Directory, for the immediate abolition of slavery throughout all their co lonies. They chearfully took the oath of allegiance
to the new government in the mother country, but would not listen to the emancipation of their ne groes. They swore that they were prepared to die, rather than expose themselves, their wives, and their children, to the licentious fury of bar barians, who might signalize their liberty, by in undating the island with the blood of their mas ters. By this opposition the colonists were de prived of all support and assistance from France, and were reduced to the dreadful alternative, of submitting to the enemies of their country, or of sealing their destruction, by obeying the orders of the Directory. Their fall now appeared to be in evitable, by resisting the attacks of the English, who were interested in their reduction, or by perishing by the poignarcls of their negroes, whetted by that go vernment which ought to have been their protection. For eight years they remained in this precarious si tuation, afraid of every flag that approached their shores, until the Directorial tyranny was abolished, when France again held out to them the hand of amity. The English, however, still meditated a decisive blow against these colonies. The harbours and strong for tifications of the Mauritius had long afforded protection to the enemy's cruisers and privateers. By these our East India trade has of late years been most terribly annoyed ; and it has, indeed, been matter of surprise, that our government should have allowed this nest of pirates to remain so unmolested. But the blow was only retarded to make it more sure ; and an ex pedition under the command of Colonel Keating, and Commodore Rowley, sailed from India in June 1810, for the reduction of Bourbon. Alter a gallant de fence by Colonel Susanne, the French commandant, the object of the expedition was accomplished on the 3th of July following, when this island surrendered to the British arms, and paved the way for the con quest of Mauritius, the last and most important co lony of France. See Mod Um That. vol. xi. p. 159. ; Bory de St Vincent, Voyage 61118 lea Quatre prin cajoles lies des Mcrs ; Viscount de Vaux's History of Mauritius and the neighbouring Islands; and .4 Panili/ilct by an Officer of the late Expedition against Bourbon. Sec 111 AURITILTS. (p)