Page:History of the French in India.djvu/202

 180 LA BOURDONNAIS AND DUPLEIX. chap, was in his real element. Nothing could surpass his " > energy, or the zeal and determination he instilled into 1746. his subordinates. In less than five days after the rem- nants of the shattered squadron had re-anchored in the Madras roads, he had succeeded in rigging the " Achille" with jury masts ; the " Neptune " and the " Princesse Marie " had been rendered seaworthy, and even the " Bourbon " had been patched sufficiently to make the passage to Pondichery. Having placed what prize property he could on board these vessels, La Bour- donnais, on the morning of October 23, ordered a grand parade of the troops, and formally made over command to Despremesnil. As he did this, it came on again to blow, and the ships, fearful of another hurricane, at once made for the open sea. La Bourdonnais himself waited for the conclusion of the ceremony, then threw himself into a country boat, and amid a terrible storm put out to join them, thus bidding a last adieu, amid the conflict of the elements, to that Madras, with regard to which he " would have given an arm never to have set foot in it." All, meanwhile, had been quiet at Pondichery. The storm of the night of the 13th and the two following- days had not extended so far south as the French capital. The three ships arrived from France, as well as the three which had been despatched from Madras some time previously to the storm, had thus ridden calmly in the Pondichery roads, whilst their consorts at Madras had been damaged or sunk. No sooner had the terrible losses become known, than the Council assembled to concert measures to be adopted to meet the possible results of such a calamity. Little, however, could be done, as the demands made on Pondichery for the ex- pedition to Madras had exhausted all its stores, and the ships where not in a condition to take the sea immedi- ately. On the 22nd a Council was held, at which the captains of the ships assisted, to deliberate on the dis-