In addition, the ship was also carrying a French crew of 140 men.
Tromelin Island, formerly Ile des Sables.
The impact shattered the hull and the ship began to take in water.
Within two monthsProvidenceemerged from the remains ofUtile.
During the transit, many men died of tropical diseases.
Du Vernet requested to have a ship sent back to the islet, but the governor denied.
The slaves were soon forgotten, but not by Castellan du Vernet.
But the boat dashed on the reef.
One man swam back to the ship, and the other swam to the island.
Two more ships followedLa Sauterelle, but neither was able to make landfall.
Only seven women and an eight-month-old boy remained.
The islanders also fed on fish, tortoises and birds eggs.
Excavated homes on Tromelin Island.
Photo: Jean-Francois Rebeyrotte
A kitchen.
Within five years, their population was reduced to 15 survivors and remained so over the next decade.
They were never heard from again.
Guerout and his team discovered copper utensils that were salvaged from the wreck and then hammered into new shapes.
More remarkable was how they had been repairedsome up to eight timesover the course of 15 years.
One does not have the impression that these people were crushed by their condition.
They tried to survive with order and method, Guerout said of the castaway slaves.
It is still in operation today and consists of a few buildings, cisterns, and concrete footings.
There is also 1,200-feet airstrip that provides the only connection to the outside world.
