MDPOD - Masson du Parc Online Database

boat with a cul-de-sac. They catch small fish. They also have a line attached to a cul-de-sac, which is tied by two ropes to an anchor buried in the ground and enclosed in a large bamboo jetty that they throw wherever they want to set their nets. It buries itself in the mud and holds the net with banaste (basket) buoys. When there is little water, they attach two poles to the side of the net, which they push into the mud, spread the mouth of the net to the tide or the judge, and raise it at every tide to remove the fish. There are no other fisheries in Bengal than those mentioned above. The common people value fish because most of the gentiles eat only fish and vegetables and no meat. There are many gentiles who do not eat fish because their caste forbids them to eat anything that is alive. The rich Moors do not value fish. They eat meat every day. Poor Moors value fish because it costs them less than meat. Fish is also prepared by frying it in butter. Once cooked, it is left to cool. When cold, it is placed in vinegar with milk, pepper, ginger and other spices. When you want to eat it, you take a piece and eat it cold. It is appetising and can be kept for a month, up to 40 days. They have no other ways of preparing fish. Birds of prey are not used for fishing. Turtles can be seen in Balasore in December and January. They are easily caught by approaching them and removing them. The meat is worthless because it is very oily. They are not large. They are also caught in the Ganges. No whales are seen on the coast of Bengal. In the Ganges, porpoises are caught in nets and speared with small spears with a thin line attached. When wounded, they bleed to death in half a day and are pulled ashore with their line. They are also seen in Balasore, but not in large numbers. The flesh is eaten. The fat is used for pain relief. When melted, it becomes like a very foul-smelling oil. No extraordinary sea monsters are seen on the coasts of Bengal. There are no mermen or mermaids. The fishermen of the Ganges say that there is a fish that resembles an elephant with its trunk, but they are very rare. It is called a hanguer. It is depicted with the other fish. There is no ambergris in the Gulf of Bengal because the coasts are made up of land and sand, and ambergris comes from coasts where there are rocks. It is produced as described below.

boat with a cul-de-sac. They catch small fish. They also have a line attached to a cul-de-sac, which is tied by two ropes to an anchor buried in the ground and enclosed in a large bamboo jetty that they throw wherever they want to set their nets. It buries itself in the mud and holds the net with banaste (basket) buoys. When there is little water, they attach two poles to the side of the net, which they push into the mud, spread the mouth of the net to the tide or the judge, and raise it at every tide to remove the fish. There are no other fisheries in Bengal than those mentioned above. The common people value fish because most of the gentiles eat only fish and vegetables and no meat. There are many gentiles who do not eat fish because their caste forbids them to eat anything that is alive. The rich Moors do not value fish. They eat meat every day. Poor Moors value fish because it costs them less than meat. Fish is also prepared by frying it in butter. Once cooked, it is left to cool. When cold, it is placed in vinegar with milk, pepper, ginger and other spices. When you want to eat it, you take a piece and eat it cold. It is appetising and can be kept for a month, up to 40 days. They have no other ways of preparing fish. Birds of prey are not used for fishing. Turtles can be seen in Balasore in December and January. They are easily caught by approaching them and removing them. The meat is worthless because it is very oily. They are not large. They are also caught in the Ganges. No whales are seen on the coast of Bengal. In the Ganges, porpoises are caught in nets and speared with small spears with a thin line attached. When wounded, they bleed to death in half a day and are pulled ashore with their line. They are also seen in Balasore, but not in large numbers. The flesh is eaten. The fat is used for pain relief. When melted, it becomes like a very foul-smelling oil. No extraordinary sea monsters are seen on the coasts of Bengal. There are no mermen or mermaids. The fishermen of the Ganges say that there is a fish that resembles an elephant with its trunk, but they are very rare. It is called a hanguer. It is depicted with the other fish. There is no ambergris in the Gulf of Bengal because the coasts are made up of land and sand, and ambergris comes from coasts where there are rocks. It is produced as described below.

boat with a cul-de-sac. They catch small fish. They also have a line attached to a cul-de-sac, which is tied by two ropes to an anchor buried in the ground and enclosed in a large bamboo jetty that they throw wherever they want to set their nets. It buries itself in the mud and holds the net with banaste (basket) buoys. When there is little water, they attach two poles to the side of the net, which they push into the mud, spread the mouth of the net to the tide or the judge, and raise it at every tide to remove the fish. There are no other fisheries in Bengal than those mentioned above. The common people value fish because most of the gentiles eat only fish and vegetables and no meat. There are many gentiles who do not eat fish because their caste forbids them to eat anything that is alive. The rich Moors do not value fish. They eat meat every day. Poor Moors value fish because it costs them less than meat. Fish is also prepared by frying it in butter. Once cooked, it is left to cool. When cold, it is placed in vinegar with milk, pepper, ginger and other spices. When you want to eat it, you take a piece and eat it cold. It is appetising and can be kept for a month, up to 40 days. They have no other ways of preparing fish. Birds of prey are not used for fishing. Turtles can be seen in Balasore in December and January. They are easily caught by approaching them and removing them. The meat is worthless because it is very oily. They are not large. They are also caught in the Ganges. No whales are seen on the coast of Bengal. In the Ganges, porpoises are caught in nets and speared with small spears with a thin line attached. When wounded, they bleed to death in half a day and are pulled ashore with their line. They are also seen in Balasore, but not in large numbers. The flesh is eaten. The fat is used for pain relief. When melted, it becomes like a very foul-smelling oil. No extraordinary sea monsters are seen on the coasts of Bengal. There are no mermen or mermaids. The fishermen of the Ganges say that there is a fish that resembles an elephant with its trunk, but they are very rare. It is called a hanguer. It is depicted with the other fish. There is no ambergris in the Gulf of Bengal because the coasts are made up of land and sand, and ambergris comes from coasts where there are rocks. It is produced as described below.

boat with a cul-de-sac. They catch small fish. They also have a line attached to a cul-de-sac, which is tied by two ropes to an anchor buried in the ground and enclosed in a large bamboo jetty that they throw wherever they want to set their nets. It buries itself in the mud and holds the net with banaste (basket) buoys. When there is little water, they attach two poles to the side of the net, which they push into the mud, spread the mouth of the net to the tide or the judge, and raise it at every tide to remove the fish. There are no other fisheries in Bengal than those mentioned above. The common people value fish because most of the gentiles eat only fish and vegetables and no meat. There are many gentiles who do not eat fish because their caste forbids them to eat anything that is alive. The rich Moors do not value fish. They eat meat every day. Poor Moors value fish because it costs them less than meat. Fish is also prepared by frying it in butter. Once cooked, it is left to cool. When cold, it is placed in vinegar with milk, pepper, ginger and other spices. When you want to eat it, you take a piece and eat it cold. It is appetising and can be kept for a month, up to 40 days. They have no other ways of preparing fish. Birds of prey are not used for fishing. Turtles can be seen in Balasore in December and January. They are easily caught by approaching them and removing them. The meat is worthless because it is very oily. They are not large. They are also caught in the Ganges. No whales are seen on the coast of Bengal. In the Ganges, porpoises are caught in nets and speared with small spears with a thin line attached. When wounded, they bleed to death in half a day and are pulled ashore with their line. They are also seen in Balasore, but not in large numbers. The flesh is eaten. The fat is used for pain relief. When melted, it becomes like a very foul-smelling oil. No extraordinary sea monsters are seen on the coasts of Bengal. There are no mermen or mermaids. The fishermen of the Ganges say that there is a fish that resembles an elephant with its trunk, but they are very rare. It is called a hanguer. It is depicted with the other fish. There is no ambergris in the Gulf of Bengal because the coasts are made up of land and sand, and ambergris comes from coasts where there are rocks. It is produced as described below.

boat with a cul-de-sac. They catch small fish. They also have a line attached to a cul-de-sac, which is tied by two ropes to an anchor buried in the ground and enclosed in a large bamboo jetty that they throw wherever they want to set their nets. It buries itself in the mud and holds the net with banaste (basket) buoys. When there is little water, they attach two poles to the side of the net, which they push into the mud, spread the mouth of the net to the tide or the judge, and raise it at every tide to remove the fish. There are no other fisheries in Bengal than those mentioned above. The common people value fish because most of the gentiles eat only fish and vegetables and no meat. There are many gentiles who do not eat fish because their caste forbids them to eat anything that is alive. The rich Moors do not value fish. They eat meat every day. Poor Moors value fish because it costs them less than meat. Fish is also prepared by frying it in butter. Once cooked, it is left to cool. When cold, it is placed in vinegar with milk, pepper, ginger and other spices. When you want to eat it, you take a piece and eat it cold. It is appetising and can be kept for a month, up to 40 days. They have no other ways of preparing fish. Birds of prey are not used for fishing. Turtles can be seen in Balasore in December and January. They are easily caught by approaching them and removing them. The meat is worthless because it is very oily. They are not large. They are also caught in the Ganges. No whales are seen on the coast of Bengal. In the Ganges, porpoises are caught in nets and speared with small spears with a thin line attached. When wounded, they bleed to death in half a day and are pulled ashore with their line. They are also seen in Balasore, but not in large numbers. The flesh is eaten. The fat is used for pain relief. When melted, it becomes like a very foul-smelling oil. No extraordinary sea monsters are seen on the coasts of Bengal. There are no mermen or mermaids. The fishermen of the Ganges say that there is a fish that resembles an elephant with its trunk, but they are very rare. It is called a hanguer. It is depicted with the other fish. There is no ambergris in the Gulf of Bengal because the coasts are made up of land and sand, and ambergris comes from coasts where there are rocks. It is produced as described below.

There are no herrings. There is a species of sardine in the Ganges, but not in large quantities. A few tuna are caught in Balasore. There are no cod, mackerel or salmon as there are in Japan, and there are no trout or sturgeon. No fish is brought to Bengal to be sold. The only fish caught in Bengal are pearls and clams (chanques), which I will discuss below. In Bengal, there is no trade in these commodities. There would be no demand for them if they were brought there. There is no significant trade in pearls in Bengal. All the pearls come from Bardus, which is in the Persian Gulf. Most of them are taken to Surat, and the merchants who trade in them bring them from Surat. Coral does not sell well in Bengal, at least not in large quantities, and those who buy it take it to Goa, Kashmir and Bhutan. Amber sells poorly and is transported to Bhutan and Kashmir. Large clear pieces and jasper are sold by weight in pataques (currency). Ambergris is not widely used except in medicine. The wealthy use it to make remedies. Most of it is transported to the Mughal court and other provinces. The Dutch bring to Bengal a large shell called Clams, which I will discuss below. The Bengalis make bracelets from it for offerings. Most of what is brought to Bengal by sea is transported inland to various provinces. All Indians use coral pearls, ambergris and yellow amber for medicine. Large pearls, large coral and yellow amber are used for their ornaments and for their women. The best catch in Bengal is salt, which is a good source of profit for the people and merchants and a large source of income for the Mughal customs. This salt, which is produced at the mouth of the Ganges in various rivers, is transported by boats to various places after ox caravans transport it throughout the kingdom. No coarse salt is produced. Salt water is boiled to make salt. There is no trade in Bengal in foreign fisheries, except for clams from Toutoucouvindu in the Mannar Strait. Large chanque or shells are brought by the Dutch, who sell them in Bengal for 16 rupees per hundred. Every year, they bring in a hundred thousand, sometimes more, sometimes less. They buy these shells from fishermen and get them very cheaply. They are the masters of this fishery. Small clams are fished between the colony and the lands of a raja named Rani Ramer and Taniavoir, about whom I will speak later in the manner in which these clams are fished.

other fish whose names I do not know, having spent only a few days on this coast. At the bottom of this bay, the tip of Ceylon is on one side and on the other, the lands of Raja Ram Ramesetuou Malava form a strait called the Mannar Strait. The seabed is rocky. There is only eight to nine feet of water when boats come from the Malabar coast to go to the Coromandel coast. They pass through this strait to avoid the route on the other side of the strait to the south and the bay of Toutoucouvin, where pearls were once fished. There has been no fishing for fifteen years. The sandbar has become covered with sand and killed the oysters. The Dutch are the masters of this fishery. They have several trading posts on this coast. Fishermen who go fishing for large chanques can only sell them to the Dutch at a low price and are strictly forbidden from selling to others under penalty of punishment. Large chanques are called janguis. The Dutch Company and private individuals bring them to Bengal, forty to fifty thousand every year. Sometimes a hundred thousand. They sell for 16 rupees per hundred in Bengal. If the Dutch Company bought them all, it could make more than a hundred thousand, but it only sells about half of what it buys from the fishermen. Shells the colour of pearls are fished in this bay, and various items are made from them on the shore. The natives of the country collect the sand, wash it and extract baroque pearl seeds, which they sell. I have seen some in Madras that are not of great value and are not expensive. They are used for medicine. When the Dutch went pearl fishing every two or three years, they would notify all the fishermen on the coast of Malabar, Toutoucouvin, Malava and Coromandel to come. In January, they would go pearl fishing. Several fishermen would get together in their boats and go to Toutoucouvin. Those who did not have boats were provided with them by the company and anchored their boats at intervals. The divers have a weight attached to a strong rope from the boat to help them reach the bottom. There are four or five fathoms of water, and when the diver has collected enough oysters, he signals by pulling on the rope. Those in the boat pay attention, pull the diver up, and put the oysters in the boat. In the evening, they go ashore and sell two-thirds of their oysters to the [Dutch] company. Merchants buy these oysters at random, leaving them in the sun to open, and then extract the pearls. I do not know the value of this catch. The pearls are not as good or as beautiful as those from Bahrain in the Gulf of Pearls near this island. The fishing takes place every year and the oysters are taken to Surat to be sold, sorted and drilled. Like most of Ceylon, the shores are rocky. Ambergris is collected there as it comes loose from the rocks, but I do not know how much is collected. It is good quality.

On the Maldives islands, cowrie shells are fished along the coast using nets, and divers find them attached to rocks. They still use coconut branches, which they dip into the water and attach to the ground. Every day, they pull up these branches and find cowries attached to them, leave them in the sun or bury them to draw out the poison, and sell the cowries for rice and other necessities. It is estimated that the Maldives have twelve thousand inhabited islands. The inhabitants of each island give the king fifty cowrie shells per year for the right to fish for cowries and fish. Each cowrie shell is worth 9 when each is worth 16 ponis and each ponis is worth 80 cowries. One cowrie shell can be worth four Madras rupees when pulled.The cowries are small and light. Ambergris is also fished. The inhabitants are obliged to give it to the king, as it belongs to him. The inhabitants do not allow it to be sold in secret. It is good ambergris. In the Maldives, they catch large quantities of sea bream, which they cut into pieces as big as large sausages, a palm's length long, and put the fish in the sun without salting it. It becomes like a piece of wood. Then they sell it for 70 lavis per thousand pieces to take to Chin [?], which is 32 rupees. In Chin, they are sold for 10 taels per thousand, which is 70 rupees, sometimes more and sometimes less. Every year, a hundred barrels are extracted, sometimes two hundred. Sea coconuts [?] are also fished, which detach themselves from the rocks that belong to the king. The coconuts are very curious to see. The flesh inside is used for medicine. In the Nicobar Islands, cowries are fished, as in the Maldives, and are very white. In Siam and Manila, cowries are fished. They are marked with black and are cheaper than those from the Maldives.

On the Maldives islands, cowrie shells are fished along the coast using nets, and divers find them attached to rocks. They still use coconut branches, which they dip into the water and attach to the ground. Every day, they pull up these branches and find cowries attached to them, leave them in the sun or bury them to draw out the poison, and sell the cowries for rice and other necessities. It is estimated that the Maldives have twelve thousand inhabited islands. The inhabitants of each island give the king fifty cowrie shells per year for the right to fish for cowries and fish. Each cowrie shell is worth 9 when each is worth 16 ponis and each ponis is worth 80 cowries. One cowrie shell can be worth four Madras rupees when pulled.The cowries are small and light. Ambergris is also fished. The inhabitants are obliged to give it to the king, as it belongs to him. The inhabitants do not allow it to be sold in secret. It is good ambergris. In the Maldives, they catch large quantities of sea bream, which they cut into pieces as big as large sausages, a palm's length long, and put the fish in the sun without salting it. It becomes like a piece of wood. Then they sell it for 70 lavis per thousand pieces to take to Chin [?], which is 32 rupees. In Chin, they are sold for 10 taels per thousand, which is 70 rupees, sometimes more and sometimes less. Every year, a hundred barrels are extracted, sometimes two hundred. Sea coconuts [?] are also fished, which detach themselves from the rocks that belong to the king. The coconuts are very curious to see. The flesh inside is used for medicine. In the Nicobar Islands, cowries are fished, as in the Maldives, and are very white. In Siam and Manila, cowries are fished. They are marked with black and are cheaper than those from the Maldives.

On the Maldives islands, cowrie shells are fished along the coast using nets, and divers find them attached to rocks. They still use coconut branches, which they dip into the water and attach to the ground. Every day, they pull up these branches and find cowries attached to them, leave them in the sun or bury them to draw out the poison, and sell the cowries for rice and other necessities. It is estimated that the Maldives have twelve thousand inhabited islands. The inhabitants of each island give the king fifty cowrie shells per year for the right to fish for cowries and fish. Each cowrie shell is worth 9 when each is worth 16 ponis and each ponis is worth 80 cowries. One cowrie shell can be worth four Madras rupees when pulled.The cowries are small and light. Ambergris is also fished. The inhabitants are obliged to give it to the king, as it belongs to him. The inhabitants do not allow it to be sold in secret. It is good ambergris. In the Maldives, they catch large quantities of sea bream, which they cut into pieces as big as large sausages, a palm's length long, and put the fish in the sun without salting it. It becomes like a piece of wood. Then they sell it for 70 lavis per thousand pieces to take to Chin [?], which is 32 rupees. In Chin, they are sold for 10 taels per thousand, which is 70 rupees, sometimes more and sometimes less. Every year, a hundred barrels are extracted, sometimes two hundred. Sea coconuts [?] are also fished, which detach themselves from the rocks that belong to the king. The coconuts are very curious to see. The flesh inside is used for medicine. In the Nicobar Islands, cowries are fished, as in the Maldives, and are very white. In Siam and Manila, cowries are fished. They are marked with black and are cheaper than those from the Maldives.

This memoir was sent to Mr LuNoir, commander in the Indies. 1725. Memoir for Madagascar and Bourbon Island. Fishing in general. What species can be fished around Bourbon Island off the coast and along the coast of Mozambique, if they are fished during specific seasons of the year? What types of boats are used, their rigging and the number of crew members? Whether fishing takes place on the open sea or far from the coast. Whether herring, sardines, anchovies and bonito are seen at sea. Whether small-scale fishing takes place along the coast and at river mouths. [?] Which fish species are the most abundant and which are only passing through. Which are the best quality. Do the islanders and Africans consider fish to be good food and is it sought after? Are fish caught for salting and if so, whether this salting done in the same way as Europeans salt cod and herring? Whether trout, salmon, sturgeon, shad, lamprey and other similar fish are found in the rivers of both the islands and the mainland, entering the rivers from the sea or leaving the fresh water to go into the salt water. A list of fish common along these coasts, noting as far as possible their French names and those given to them by the natives of the bay, and the season in which they appear in these seas and in this bay. Fortuitous and accidental catches. Whether whales are often seen in the seas off the coast of Languebar and the Dauphines des Bourbons Islands. If they are caught, what do the fishermen do with the remaines of these fish? If large numbers of porpoises are seen there and if they are fished in any way. The use made of their flesh and fat. If there are large, rare or unknown cetacean fish in these seas. If sea monsters are seen there. That we [?] make drawings of them as accurate as possible. Ambergris. If ambergris is found in these seas in certain seasons, only accidentally.

This memoir was sent to Mr LuNoir, commander in the Indies. 1725. Memoir for Madagascar and Bourbon Island. Fishing in general. What species can be fished around Bourbon Island off the coast and along the coast of Mozambique, if they are fished during specific seasons of the year? What types of boats are used, their rigging and the number of crew members? Whether fishing takes place on the open sea or far from the coast. Whether herring, sardines, anchovies and bonito are seen at sea. Whether small-scale fishing takes place along the coast and at river mouths. [?] Which fish species are the most abundant and which are only passing through. Which are the best quality. Do the islanders and Africans consider fish to be good food and is it sought after? Are fish caught for salting and if so, whether this salting done in the same way as Europeans salt cod and herring? Whether trout, salmon, sturgeon, shad, lamprey and other similar fish are found in the rivers of both the islands and the mainland, entering the rivers from the sea or leaving the fresh water to go into the salt water. A list of fish common along these coasts, noting as far as possible their French names and those given to them by the natives of the bay, and the season in which they appear in these seas and in this bay. Fortuitous and accidental catches. Whether whales are often seen in the seas off the coast of Languebar and the Dauphines des Bourbons Islands. If they are caught, what do the fishermen do with the remaines of these fish? If large numbers of porpoises are seen there and if they are fished in any way. The use made of their flesh and fat. If there are large, rare or unknown cetacean fish in these seas. If sea monsters are seen there. That we [?] make drawings of them as accurate as possible. Ambergris. If ambergris is found in these seas in certain seasons, only accidentally.

This memoir was sent to Mr LuNoir, commander in the Indies. 1725. Memoir for Madagascar and Bourbon Island. Fishing in general. What species can be fished around Bourbon Island off the coast and along the coast of Mozambique, if they are fished during specific seasons of the year? What types of boats are used, their rigging and the number of crew members? Whether fishing takes place on the open sea or far from the coast. Whether herring, sardines, anchovies and bonito are seen at sea. Whether small-scale fishing takes place along the coast and at river mouths. [?] Which fish species are the most abundant and which are only passing through. Which are the best quality. Do the islanders and Africans consider fish to be good food and is it sought after? Are fish caught for salting and if so, whether this salting done in the same way as Europeans salt cod and herring? Whether trout, salmon, sturgeon, shad, lamprey and other similar fish are found in the rivers of both the islands and the mainland, entering the rivers from the sea or leaving the fresh water to go into the salt water. A list of fish common along these coasts, noting as far as possible their French names and those given to them by the natives of the bay, and the season in which they appear in these seas and in this bay. Fortuitous and accidental catches. Whether whales are often seen in the seas off the coast of Languebar and the Dauphines des Bourbons Islands. If they are caught, what do the fishermen do with the remaines of these fish? If large numbers of porpoises are seen there and if they are fished in any way. The use made of their flesh and fat. If there are large, rare or unknown cetacean fish in these seas. If sea monsters are seen there. That we [?] make drawings of them as accurate as possible. Ambergris. If ambergris is found in these seas in certain seasons, only accidentally.

This memoir was sent to Mr LuNoir, commander in the Indies. 1725. Memoir for Madagascar and Bourbon Island. Fishing in general. What species can be fished around Bourbon Island off the coast and along the coast of Mozambique, if they are fished during specific seasons of the year? What types of boats are used, their rigging and the number of crew members? Whether fishing takes place on the open sea or far from the coast. Whether herring, sardines, anchovies and bonito are seen at sea. Whether small-scale fishing takes place along the coast and at river mouths. [?] Which fish species are the most abundant and which are only passing through. Which are the best quality. Do the islanders and Africans consider fish to be good food and is it sought after? Are fish caught for salting and if so, whether this salting done in the same way as Europeans salt cod and herring? Whether trout, salmon, sturgeon, shad, lamprey and other similar fish are found in the rivers of both the islands and the mainland, entering the rivers from the sea or leaving the fresh water to go into the salt water. A list of fish common along these coasts, noting as far as possible their French names and those given to them by the natives of the bay, and the season in which they appear in these seas and in this bay. Fortuitous and accidental catches. Whether whales are often seen in the seas off the coast of Languebar and the Dauphines des Bourbons Islands. If they are caught, what do the fishermen do with the remaines of these fish? If large numbers of porpoises are seen there and if they are fished in any way. The use made of their flesh and fat. If there are large, rare or unknown cetacean fish in these seas. If sea monsters are seen there. That we [?] make drawings of them as accurate as possible. Ambergris. If ambergris is found in these seas in certain seasons, only accidentally.

This memoir was sent to Mr LuNoir, commander in the Indies. 1725. Memoir for Madagascar and Bourbon Island. Fishing in general. What species can be fished around Bourbon Island off the coast and along the coast of Mozambique, if they are fished during specific seasons of the year? What types of boats are used, their rigging and the number of crew members? Whether fishing takes place on the open sea or far from the coast. Whether herring, sardines, anchovies and bonito are seen at sea. Whether small-scale fishing takes place along the coast and at river mouths. [?] Which fish species are the most abundant and which are only passing through. Which are the best quality. Do the islanders and Africans consider fish to be good food and is it sought after? Are fish caught for salting and if so, whether this salting done in the same way as Europeans salt cod and herring? Whether trout, salmon, sturgeon, shad, lamprey and other similar fish are found in the rivers of both the islands and the mainland, entering the rivers from the sea or leaving the fresh water to go into the salt water. A list of fish common along these coasts, noting as far as possible their French names and those given to them by the natives of the bay, and the season in which they appear in these seas and in this bay. Fortuitous and accidental catches. Whether whales are often seen in the seas off the coast of Languebar and the Dauphines des Bourbons Islands. If they are caught, what do the fishermen do with the remaines of these fish? If large numbers of porpoises are seen there and if they are fished in any way. The use made of their flesh and fat. If there are large, rare or unknown cetacean fish in these seas. If sea monsters are seen there. That we [?] make drawings of them as accurate as possible. Ambergris. If ambergris is found in these seas in certain seasons, only accidentally.

This memoir was sent to Mr LuNoir, commander in the Indies. 1725. Memoir for Madagascar and Bourbon Island. Fishing in general. What species can be fished around Bourbon Island off the coast and along the coast of Mozambique, if they are fished during specific seasons of the year? What types of boats are used, their rigging and the number of crew members? Whether fishing takes place on the open sea or far from the coast. Whether herring, sardines, anchovies and bonito are seen at sea. Whether small-scale fishing takes place along the coast and at river mouths. [?] Which fish species are the most abundant and which are only passing through. Which are the best quality. Do the islanders and Africans consider fish to be good food and is it sought after? Are fish caught for salting and if so, whether this salting done in the same way as Europeans salt cod and herring? Whether trout, salmon, sturgeon, shad, lamprey and other similar fish are found in the rivers of both the islands and the mainland, entering the rivers from the sea or leaving the fresh water to go into the salt water. A list of fish common along these coasts, noting as far as possible their French names and those given to them by the natives of the bay, and the season in which they appear in these seas and in this bay. Fortuitous and accidental catches. Whether whales are often seen in the seas off the coast of Languebar and the Dauphines des Bourbons Islands. If they are caught, what do the fishermen do with the remaines of these fish? If large numbers of porpoises are seen there and if they are fished in any way. The use made of their flesh and fat. If there are large, rare or unknown cetacean fish in these seas. If sea monsters are seen there. That we [?] make drawings of them as accurate as possible. Ambergris. If ambergris is found in these seas in certain seasons, only accidentally.