A sailor from Lorient by the name of Joséph Tréguier appears on no less than thirteen rôles of the French East India Company. Born around 1740, he worked on ships from about the age of ten to 45, gradually earning higher wages as he grew more experienced. He travelled as far afield as West Africa, Bengal and Canton. He was shipwrecked in India, spent several years living in Pondichéry, and once missed his boat so he snuck furtively onto a vessel heading in the same direction, and managed to catch up to his ship (and his paycheque) at a harbour on Madagascar.

His story contains numerous interesting chapters, and offers much insight into the experiences, travails and opportunities of career sailors in the first age of global trade.


Overview:

Dauphin (1749-1750):
A Jean-Marie Joseph Tréguier from Lorient was on this entire voyage. He is described as a 10-year-old cabin boy earning a wage of 6 livres. The ship travelled from Lorient (25 March 1749) to Gorée, the Mascarenes, Asencion, and back to Lorient (15 June 1750).

Hirondelle (1753):
A Joseph-Jean Treguier was on the Hirondelle voyage from Lorient to West Africa and back, February to September 1753.
He is listed as an 11-year-old cabin boy from Lorient. Wage: 6.

[In Europe September 1753 to March 1754?]

Prince de Conti (almost):
Joseph Tréguier was hired onto the Prince de Conti on 8 March 1754, but for some reason he stayed ashore. He is listed as a 12-year-old cabin boy from Lorient. Wage: 6.

Duc d’Orléans (1755-1757):
According to the Duc d’Orléans rôle, Joseph got on the ship furtively the same day the Prince de Conti launched. He got back on the Prince de Conti at Foulpointe, Madagascar.

Prince de Conti,(1754-1756):
After rejoining the Prince de Conti, Joseph stayed for the remainder of the voyage. (To India and Bengal, to the Mascarenes, and ending up in A Coruña).

[In Europe October 1756 to March 1757?]

Dauphin (1757):
A Joseph Tréguier, listed as a cabin boy from Lorient, with a wage of 6 livres, embarked on the Dauphin from Lorient on 6 March 1757. He disembarked at Île Bourbon on 11 November 1757. He was on the island from 11 November 1757 until 31 January 1758. It say from 1 February to 30 April 1758 he was on the Bien-Aimé. It says he was in Pondichéry from 1 May 1758 to 15 January 1761—almost three years!

Bien-Aimé (1757-1758):
On the Bien-Aimé rôle, however, it lists Joesph Tréguier (a cabin boy from Lorient with a wage of 6 livres) as a replacement at Île de France from 13 January 1758, and claims he was onboard until the ship ran aground at the Bay of “Alemparvé” on 29 April 1758. The details are slightly different. BUT, he is listed as previously on the Dauphin.

[Gap - how does he get back to Europe?]

Paix (1767-1768):
A Joseph Treguier was on this entire voyage. He is listed as a small, brown-haired 26 year old from Lorient. He is now a sailor, earning a wage of 19 livres. The ship travels from Lorient (3 April 1767) to Comoros, India and the Mascarenes, and then back to Lorient (26 December 1768).

[In Europe December 1768 to July 1769]

Jason (1769-1770):
A Joseph Treguyer is was on this whole voyage from Lorient (19 July 1769) to Pondichéry (4 or 7 August 1770). He is listed as a 27-year-old sailor from Lorient, small build, black hair, earning a wage of 23 livres. He disembarked at the disarmament at Pondichéry on 4 August 1770. It indicates that he then got on the Digue.

Digue (1768-1771):
A Joseph Tréguier joined this voyage at Pondichéry on 8 August 1770. He is described as a sailor from Lorient earning a wage of 26 livres. It also specifies that he was previously on the Jason. The Digue takes him back to Lorient (29 May 1771).

Duc de Duras (1771-1773):
A Joseph René Treguyer was on this entire voyage. He is described as a 28-year-old sailor from Lorient, small with black hair, earning a wage of 24 livres. This voyage went all the way to China and back by way of the Cape of Good Hope.

Ville de Lorient (1774):
Joseph Treguyer—a sailor from Lorient, 34 years old, small build, chestnut hair, earning a wage of 24 livres—was on this voyage. He embarked at Lorient 4 February 1774 and there is no record of where he disembarked, but the ship was sold at Ile de France on 13 July 1774.

Ville d’Archangel (1777-1778):
Joséph Tréguier is listed as a sailor from Lorient earning 20 livres. He was hired as a replacement at Chandannagar on 6 May 1777. The Ville d’Archangel takes him back to Lorient (27 May 1778).

[Gap]

Hirondelle (1784-1785):
A Joseph Tréguier was on this whole voyage (2 August 1784 to 8 January 1785). The voyage was simply to service farms around Lorient. Now 45, still small and brown-haired. Now an experienced sailor (“gabier,” i.e. deckhand), but still earning 20 livres. Perhaps he was taking on light work in semi-retirement. It also indicates: “payé à la part.” So he was paid in part or he paid in part (for passage?).

There were two additional voyages for “services des fermes” around Lorient shortly thereafter (1787 and 1788) with a crew member named Joseph Tréguier from Lorient, but he’s listed as 15 years old, medium build, brown hair. Maybe Joséph’s son? Following in his father's footsteps?