Enne grand merci à tout dimoune dans village qui finne aide nu, surtout banne pecheurs qui finne metre l'ordre lors la plage, et qui finne faire zordi enne zolie spectacle. Prends soin ça mémoire là, li énne tigit l'historie village même. Nu pu esperé ki ca mémoire signal le commencement d'un developpement dans la region, ki pu ameliore la vie tout dimoune.
We ask Your Royal Highness to thank the British Government for the monument. The collaboration of the British High Commission staff and of High Commissioner David Snoxell is appreciated. His resuscitation of Flinders' song has become the anthem of Encounter 2003. It was Raymond d'Unienville, many times President of our Société, whose ancestor so courteously welcomed Flinders here at Baie du Cap who suggested a monument here. We also congratulate Patrice Curé on so ably chairing the Organising Committee.
Your Royal Highness, Mr President, Ladies and Gentlemen, Mauritius is composed of a rich and vibrant mixture of people with a wonderful history. The story of Matthew Flinders is part of this heritage.
I thank you for your attention.
The bronze relief monument which will be unveiled today is the work of Madame Szuszanna Szemok, who has placed Matthew Flinders in a simple, stone walled room, as a reflection of his detention, surrounded by his flute, chest, a map, compass and his inseparable cat Trim - and the
stars that he might have gazed at during long nights.
The Society wishes to thank Air Mauritius for their assistance in transporting the bronze, Transinvest especially Mr Gabor Nagy for constructing the monument, Minister Nando Bodha for his dynamic leadership and Ministers Alan Ganoo and Motee Ramdass for their support of the project. Thank you to all who worked together to establish the monument.
But Flinders also worked hard at his hydrography and logs. The publication of an important paper for the Royal Society on the compass errors caused by iron in ships, which led to the development of the Flinders Bars, testifies to his academic excellence.
In his relations with slaves and free black people he was courteous and generous.
He paid them for their work and respected their superior knowledge of the terrain and of local customs, a testament to his humane attitude and a reflection of the liberality with which his closest friends treated their own domestic and plantation servants.
It is a privilege for our Society to welcome you here today and especially to welcome the Earl of Wessex to the site where 200 years ago, an Englishman arrived in a small, leaking boat and ended up staying six-and-a-half years. Happily times have changed, and I don't expect that our President, Sir Anerood, will insist on such a long sojourn by our royal guest, this time.
The story of Matthew Flinders is truly remarkable. As a youth of 15 years old, Flinders went to sea, and served under the celebrated Captain Bligh, later saw battle and surveyed parts of Oceania. In 1801, following Captain Nicolas Baudin, Flinders traversed three oceans; the Atlantic, the Indian and the Pacific. He was first to circumnavigate Australia, was shipwrecked and paddled 700 miles to find land and save his men. He mapped unexplored and treacherous coastlines with great accuracy. He made contact with Aboriginal people unknown to the rest of the world and saw strange, new creatures unknown to science. He met Captain Baudin by chance - an encounter of the most remarkable kind. Finally, on his return journey he was forced in at Baie du Cap by a leaking vessel. At this time he was only 29 years old.
Matthew Flinders had left a young wife in England, he spoke no French, and he was highly motivated to get back to Britain to publish his maps and discoveries. But, Governor-General Decaen, convinced he was a British spy, refused to let him continue his journey. His detention on Ile de France is the subject of two excellent studies by Huguette Ly Tio Fane and Marina Carter, tell us how Flinders coped. Anger, despair, hope and finally resignation, he spent two years in detention in Port Louis and then more than four years on parole on the estate of Madame d'Arifat near the Mare aux Vacoas. From there, he walked many of the surrounding areas. Grand Bassin, the Sept Cascades, down to Yemen and Tamarin, to Moka, across to Mesnil at Eau Coulée where he found the ruins of La Pérouse's homestead. Flinders caused a monument to be erected for La Pérouse - the first memorial ever made in Mauritius. Flinders also provides the only detailed historical description of a maroon slave hideaway, which were caves near Flic-en-Flac. Recent studies just completed by the National Heritage Trust have explored these caves and found indications substantiating Flinders' accounts.
The most remarkable factor in Flinders' stay in Ile de France, is that despite being a loyal British naval captain, he made firm friends with equally patriotic French citizens including many military and naval officers, during a period when the two countries were nearly always at war. His intellect thirsted for stimulation - he found this in the "Société d'Emulation" and "la Table Ovale" with Jacques Mallac, Thomi and Charles Pitot. His quest for discovery was shared with Barthélemy de Froberville and Charles Baudin. His musical sensitivities with the d'Arifat, Rouillard and Chazal families. He picnicked in the grounds of Le Réduit, the Governor's country estate, which was then under renovation - times haven't changed much, have they? He danced at the Couve's home and learnt French with the d'Arifat girls. He took solace when he was lonely by playing his flute and composing music, some of which we will hear in a moment.
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at Baie du Cap
on Thursday, 6th November 2003
by Philippe de la Hausse de la Louvière
Président of the Société de l’Histoire de l’île Maurice.
Mathew Flinders.
Your Royal Highness the Earl of Wessex President of the Republic, Sir Anerood Jugnauth President of The Black River District Council President of the Baie du Cap Village Council Excellencies of the Diplomatic Corps
Honourable Ministers and Members of the Legislative Assembly
Distinguished Guests
Ladies, Gentlemen ek bannes enfants-
He was interested in their situation, and records how on New Year's Day in 1805 after their all night dancing, in the morning them running about and calling out "banana, banana" and handing out flowers.
Of course, the word Flinders heard as "banana" must have been in fact "banne année, banne année".
When Matthew Flinders was allowed to leave Ile de France in 1810, he said;
" What mixed sensations will the remembrance of the Isle of France excite ! ...I found by long experience that the mass of mankind are naturally good and humane. ... oh ye worthy and generous inhabitants of Mauritius who treated me as a brother and felt for my misfortunes as for those of an esteemed friend, can I ever forget or cease to feel the deepest interest in what may concern you? Never..""
Matthew Flinders was touched by the legendary hospitality of Mauritians, which he reciprocated with sincerity and a very deep affection. Indeed, after leaving, Flinders frequently corresponded with his Mauritian friends, and assisted them greatly, especially by securing the release of those who were prisoners-of-war in British hands. I feel a personal debt for that since he was responsible for the release of one of my own ancestors in British camps.
Retour à la liste des monuments
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Speech at the unveiling of the Monument to
Matthew Flinders
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