This stamp depicts Le Taureau, of 22 guns, and her commander, Etienne Regnault, which sailed from Brest on March 7, 1665 with 20 settlers, varying in age from 19 to 28. Some months later they arrived off Bourbon Island and anchored in the Bay of St. Paul. Regnault and his band of settlers formed the advance party, the main body of settlers sailing in an expedition comprising 10 ships and 1,700 settlers which left in 1666.
After an extremely difficult voyage, only 200 of the 1,700 finally landed at Bourbon Island in the early part of 1667. Le Taureau, the English translation of which is "The Bull", was eventually wrecked on the coast of Madagascar. SG1692 Sea Breezes 6/66