Various observations had been taken in the Garden Prison, both by Mr. Aken and myself, principally for our amusement and to exercise Messrs. Dale and Seymour in the calculations.  The corrected results of my observations were as follow: 

Latitude from eight meridian altitudes of the sun, taken with a sextant and artificial horizon, 20 deg. 9’ 13.5” S.

Longitude from twenty-seven sets of lunar distances, the particulars of which are given in Table IX. of the first Appendix to this volume, 57 deg. 30’ 42” E.

Variation of the theodolite from azimuths a.m. and p.m. 11 deg. 42’ 30” W.

The middle of the town being nearly one mile south-west from the prison, its situation should be:  Port Louis, latitude 20 deg. 9’ 56” south, longitude 57 deg. 29’ 57” east.

CHAPTER VI.

Parole given. 
Journey into the interior of Mauritius. 
The governor’s country seat. 
Residence at the Refuge, in that Part of Wilhems Plains called Vacouas. 
Its situation and climate, with the mountains, rivers, cascades, and
views near it. 
The Mare aux Vacouas and Grand Bassin. 
State of cultivation and produce of Vacouas;
its black ebony, game, and wild fruits; and freedom from noxious insects.

[AT MAURITIUS.  PORT LOUIS.]

AUGUST 1805

My first visit after being liberated from the Garden Prison, was to captain Bergeret, whose interposition I considered to have been the principal cause of this favourable change; he obligingly offered me the accommodation of his lodging whilst in town, but M. Pitot had previously engaged my residence with him.  Next morning I accompanied captain Bergeret to the town major’s office for the purpose of giving my parole, which colonel Monistrol proposed to take verbally; but to avoid all future misunderstanding, I desired that it might be taken in writing, and two days afterward it was made out as follows.

His Excellency the captain-general De Caen having given me permission to reside at Wilhems Plains, at the habitation of Madame D’Arifat, I do hereby promise, upon my parole of honour, not to go more than the distance of two leagues from the said habitation, without His Excellency’s permission; and to conduct myself with that proper degree of reserve, becoming an officer residing in a country with which his nation is at war.  I will also answer for the proper conduct of my two servants.

Town of Port North-west,
Matthew Flinders. 
August 23, 1805