Mitteilungen des Österreichischen Staatsarchivs 35. (1982)

LY-TIO-FANE, Madeleine: Contacts between Schönbrunn and the Jardin du Roi at Isle de France (Mauritius) in the 18th Century. An Episode in the Career of Nicolas Thomas Baudin

Contacts between Schönbrunn and the Jardin du Roi

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that Baudin had recently purchased another ship with the express purpose of repatriating Scholl and of conveying to Schönbrunn the precious plants, including the clove and the nutmeg seedlings, which Céré had recently brought together. The Governor and the Intendant had the intent of facilitating the fitting out of the vessel and Gordon was instructed to prevail upon Scholl to be ready to embark with his collections by the end of December443). This voyage was not even started, the vessel being wrecked in Port Louis harbour during the cyclone of 15th December 1789.

It was not until the 15th July 1790 that Céré was in a position to announce some progress in the undertaking. Baudin intended to embark with some members of his crew, subjects of the Emperor, as passengers on a ship of the Royal Philippine Company bound for Cadiz. Céré recalled the difficulties of the moment: ‘La révolution actuelle de la France s’étant fait sentir jusqu’ici, tous les armemens sont arrétés pour le moment’. He stressed the necessity for the protection of Scholl’s precious collections of fitting out a vessel solely for his return to Europe:

‘Le Chevalier Baudin, ainsi que moi, sommes persuadés que vous l’enverrés directe- ment chercher, ce parti étant le moins coűteux que vous puissiés employer.

Les détails que vous fera le Chevalier de Baudin des difficultés sans nombre qu’il a eprouvées, et la fa$on dönt il s’est comporté dans les circonstances oü il a fallu de l’énergie et du courage vous prouveront qu’il est capable de remplir toutes vos intentions, et son plus grand désir étant de mériter votre protection et la continuation de vos bontás pour lui, il a cru ne pouvoir mieux faire que d’avoir recours ä vous, Monsieur le Comte, pour l’exécution des projets qu’il a ä vous communiquer’44b).

Baudin sailed from Isle de France in August 1790 on ‘La Nostra Segnora de los Placeres’ in good season to make the Cape passage and hence to Europe, but the vessel was in bad condition and the general advice was that it should call for repairs at Trinidad where it arrived in December. The party was stranded without resources for some time when Baudin decided to go to Martinique to negotiate a loan of 4000 florins to be repaid by the Imperial Consul in Marseilles, the deed being dated 16th March 179 1 44c).

Meanwhile Céré, having lost trace of Baudin, tried to have news of Scholl from Dr. Jean Macé, a surgeon in Comte de Meuron’s Swiss regiment, which was awaiting a passage for Colombo at the Cape. Macé, interested in natural history, was planning to use the leisure to explore the hinterland and attempt to reach the East African coast:

‘.. . vous aviés encore au Cap, il n’y a pas longtemps, un jardinier de l’Empereur, M. Scholl, camarade de M. Boos. Il y avoit fait une collection immense de plants pour Schönbrunn. On ne l’avoit envoyé chercher d’Europe, sóit M. Gordon, soit moi, nous n’avons pu lui envoyer de vaisseau, surtout Son Excellence, M. le Comte de Cobenzl,

44a) Céré to Cobenzl, 17th November 1789: HHStA Wien Staatenabteilungen Ostindische Kompagnie 7, Konv. C fol. 6.

44b) Céré to Cobenzl, 15th July 1790: ibid. fol. 7.

44C) Baudin’s subsequent attempts are also reported in: Céré to Gordon, 16th November 1789: ibid. fol. 13-14, and note 46 fol. 12.