Page:Final French Struggles in India and on the Indian Seas.djvu/131

Rh again in the month of October for his old cruising ground. Proceeding direct to Sumatra, he stormed the fortifications of Padang, one of the Mantawi islands close to the mainland, and seized all the shipping lying off it. Obtaining most advantageous terms from the Dutch Governor, he quitted Padang, his ship well laden with the products of the expedition, and returned to the Isle of France, capturing on his way a Portuguese merchantman, the Santo Sacramento. The share of the plunder accruing to Lemême from this expedition amounted to 1,100,000 francs, equal to £44,000 sterling.

In the Amphitrite, of which he next took command, Lemême made several rich captures; but of the particulars I have been unable to obtain a record. Transferred again to L'Uni, carrying 21 guns and a crew of 200 men, he became the terror of the Indian seas. She is reported to have captured in her short cruise six merchantmen, two of which carried very valuable cargoes, and four native grabs all laden with specie. Lemême, however, having placed insufficient prize crews on board these, the Moplahs, who had originally manned them, rose upon and killed their captors. Amongst the letters found on the body of the chief officer was one from Lemême to the owners of L'Uni, in which he announced his intention "to sweep the Malabar and Coromandel coasts and to call at