The inhabitants of both these islands carry on trade with _Madagascar_, _Goa_, and _Surat_; to the _Persian Gulph_ and the _Red-sea_; and also to _Mascate_, _Monbaza_, _Zanzibar_, and _Quiloa_. They send thither sugar, coffee, different kinds of wood, Indian stuffs, and European glass wares. In return for these articles they obtain from Madagascar beautiful cattle, a great number of slaves, and certain kinds of cloth made from the fibres of plants and called _Pagne_. Mascate sends them asses, and from the southern parts of the African coast they procure slaves and gold dust. All the natives of these islands, born of European fathers and Indian or African mothers, are called Creoles, and of this kind are the greater part of the inhabitants of Bourbon. As these people, both by nature and the laws, are perfectly free, they are fond of their native country, and apply to agriculture from inclination; whereas the slaves in the Isle of France must be kept to this labour by force, and cultivate the lands of their unthankful masters with the greatest reluctance. Five of these free people are of more value than ten slaves of the Isle of France, who are compelled to gratify the avarice, lewdness, and licentiousness of their tyrants. The marriages of the free people are far more fruitful, and their children are far better nourished and educated than those of the slaves, and are consequently much healthier. This is the cause why the Island of Bourbon contains a much greater number of inhabitants than the Isle of France. When the smallpox breaks out, which occasions the greatest devastation here as well as on the coast of Malabar, a multitude of slaves are swept off in the Isle of France, whose places must then be supplied by others; and such large sums are required for this purpose, that the coffers of the inhabitants become entirely exhausted. In the Island of Bourbon, on the other hand, the number of slaves is so small, the air is always so pure and healthful, and the houses are so well constructed, that the above horrid disease, which rages with so much fury in the Isle of France, seldom makes its appearance in the former, and occasions much less ravage than in the latter.