Preface.

in order to reach India. Mr. Boucher, who was enrolling the recruits in Paris, looked at Anquetil with astonishment; he sought to dissuade him from his plan through all sorts of arguments and gave him four days to reconsider. After the deadline had expired, Anquetil presented himself again and had his name recorded. On the day of his departure, he informed his brother—who would later become the head of the French trading post In the original "Komtoir," referring to a "comptoir" or merchant factory. in Surat—of his intention. The brother appeared immediately and tried to talk him out of it, but in vain; just as Boucher also offered him permission to stay behind, to no avail. He took his leave with tears and requested only two days of silence regarding his departure, then went with the other soldiers to Lorient The text says "Orient," but this is a historical reference to the French port city of Lorient in Brittany, which served as the headquarters for the French East India Company., from whence he, in the service of the Indian Company,