ome so soon in
the season; to which he replied, that there had been some disagreement
between the governor and inhabitants of the Isle of France, and that he
had been sent home in haste with dispatches: This story was the more
plausible, as I had heard of the dispute between the governor and
inhabitants of the Isle of France, from a French gentleman who came from
thence, at the Cape of Good Hope; yet I was not perfectly satisfied:
For, supposing M. Bougainville to have been sent in haste to Europe with
dispatches, I could not account for his losing the time which it cost
him to speak with me; I therefore observed to this gentleman, that
although he had accounted for his coming before the usual time from the
Isle of France, he had not accounted for his coming at an unusual time
from India, which must have been the case. To this, however, he readily
replied, that they had made only a short trading voyage on the western
coast of Sumatra. I then enquired, what commodities he had brought from
thence; and he answered, cocoa-nut oil, and rattans: But, said I, these
are commodities which it is not usual to bring into Europe: It is true,
said he, but these commodities we left at the Isle of France, the oil
for the use of the island, and the rattans for ships which were to touch
there in their way to China, and in exchange we took in another freight
for Europe; this freight I think he said was pepper, and his whole tale
being at least possible, I asked him no more questions. He then told me,
he had heard at the Cape, that I had been with Commodore Byron at
Falkland's Islands; and, said he, I was on board the French ship that
met you in the Streight of Magellan, which must have been true, for he
mentioned several incidents that it was otherwise highly improbable he
should know, particularly the store-ship's running a-ground, and many of
the difficulties that occurred in that part of the Streight which we
passed together: By this conversation he contrived to introduce several
enquiries, concerning the western part of the Streight, the time it cost
me to get through, and the difficulties of the navigation; but
perceiving that I declined giving any account of these particulars, he
changed his subject. He said, he had heard that we lost an officer and
some men in an engagement with the Indians; and taking notice that my
ship was small, and a bad sailer, he insinuated that we must have
suffered great hardship in so long a voyage; but, sa