How did these revolts occur? One might well imagine that captives were constantly on the lookout for any potential lapses in the supervision of their European captors, who had to exercise the utmost vigilance. ${ }^{4}$ The attitude of the commander appears to have been critical in maintaining discipline. In 1730, Captain L'Hermitte 'maintained good order in all matters, and ensured that the slaves undertook no revolt, although he was accompanied by only a very small proportion of the crew' (Anonymous, Complaint against L'Hermitte, s.l., 28 April 1730. Departmental archives of La Réunion (ADLR), C9/2309). On the Charlotte, the enslaved people took advantage of the paucity of crew to stage a revolt, but the determination of the captain, who killed seven captives with his  
[^0]
[^0]:    4 Journal of the Brak, 8 August 1743. NA, VOC/4157. On the Voorhout, two captives were flogged and chained around the neck as punishment for speaking about revolt. Journal of the Voorhout, 26 September 1676. NA, VOC/4012. In 1751, an operation to take sick passengers ashore on the island of SainteMarie provided captives with the opportunity to hatch plans for a revolt. Journal of the Princesse Amélie, April 1751. AN, MAR, 4JJ/86, p. 27.  
![img-13.jpeg](img_ref_14)  
FIGURE 3. Geographical breakdown of revolts during slaving expeditions to Madagascar.
Source: Thiébaut, 2020.
rifle, broke the rebels' will (Declaration of arrival of the Charlotte, Port-Louis, 10 April 1777. MNA, OC/29, No. 207).