Editing Rodrigues (section)

==Etymology and history==
{{See also|History of Mauritius}}
Rodrigues was named after [[Portuguese discoveries|Portuguese explorer]] [[Diogo Rodrigues]], who first came upon the uninhabited island in 1528, under direction of Portuguese Viceroy [[Pedro Mascarenhas]] (namesake of the [[Mascarene Islands]]).
Many maps also describe it as Diego Roiz. From the 10th century, [[Arabs]] are known to have visited the [[Mascarene Islands]]. The [[Cantino planisphere]] of {{circa|1500}} and some other contemporary maps clearly show the three islands of the Mascarenes as ''Dina Arobi'' (or ''Harobi''), ''Dina Margabin'' and ''Dina Moraze''. These are apparently corrupted [[transliteration]]s or transcriptions of the [[Arabic (language)|Arabic]] {{lang|ar|ديفا هاراب}} ''Diva Harab'' ("Desert Island"), {{lang|ar|ديفا مغربين}} ''Diva Maghrebin'' ("Western Island") and {{lang|ar|ديفا ماشريق}} ''Diva Mashriq'' ("Eastern Island").{{dubious|date=September 2024}} While the second clearly refers to [[Réunion]], sources disagree about which of the other is [[Mauritius]] and which one Rodrigues, which are both to the east of Réunion and arranged in a somewhat stylised way on these maps. However, even in its original state, Rodrigues had some [[karst]], while Mauritius even after suffering 500 years of [[deforestation]] can by no means be called "desert" even in a colloquial sense.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |title=The Arabs |url=http://www.mauritiusencyclopedia.com/History/Arabs.htm |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Mauritiana |access-date=6 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120501213112/http://www.mauritiusencyclopedia.com/History/Arabs.htm |archive-date=1 May 2012}}</ref>

The island was located again in February 1507. Part of the fleet of [[Afonso de Albuquerque]] and [[Tristão da Cunha]], [[Diogo Fernandes Pereira]]'s ship ''Cisne'' (Swan) spotted Réunion on 9 February after a [[cyclone]] had diverted their course forcing them to go around Madagascar, unlike the rest of the fleet. It has also been opined that this was due to a navigational error by [[Afonso de Albuquerque]]. The other two islands were subsequently rediscovered. The initial name was ''Diogo Fernandes''; ''Domingo Froiz'' was given as a name some years later, and by 1528 it had been again renamed after the [[Portugal|Portuguese]] [[navigator]] [[Dom (title)|Dom]] [[Diogo Rodrigues]] and has remained so since. The [[orthography]] has been less stable at first, with the name being [[transcription (linguistics)|transcribed]] ''Diogo Rodríguez'' (Spanish maps), ''Diego Roiz'', ''Diego Ruys'' (Dutch maps) (or even ''Diego Ruy's Island''), ''Dygarroys'' or ''Bygarroys''. Some early French sources called it ''Île Marianne''.{{citation needed|date = November 2023}}

Due to the island lying far off the beaten track of seafarers at that time, it received few visits. From 1601, the Dutch began visiting the island somewhat more regularly for fresh supplies of food. In 1691, the [[Huguenot]] [[François Leguat]] and seven companions landed on the island, intending to set up a farming colony of [[Protestant]] refugees. Farming was not successful, but there was an abundance of tortoises, turtles, birds, fish and other seafood.{{citation needed|date = November 2023}}

During the 18th century, several attempts were made by the French to develop the island. African [[slavery|slaves]] (ancestors of the present population) were brought to Rodrigues to develop stock-breeding and farming. In 1735 a permanent French settlement was established, subordinated to [[Réunion|Île Bourbon]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Mauritius.htm#Rodrigues |title=Mauritius |website=worldstatesmen.org |access-date=8 December 2018 |archive-date=15 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115174034/http://worldstatesmen.org/Mauritius.htm#Rodrigues |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1809, after a brief battle with the French, [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|British]] troops took possession of Rodrigues.<ref>{{Cite book |author=Joslin, Litherland and Simpkin. |title=British Battles and Medals. |page=30. Published Spink, London. 1988}}{{ISBN| 0907605257}}</ref> After British occupation, slavery was eventually [[Slavery Abolition Act 1833|abolished]] in 1834. By 1843, the population had declined to a low of 250.{{citation needed|date = November 2023}}

In 1883, the eruption of the [[Indonesia]]n volcano [[Krakatoa]] was heard at Rodrigues Island and it remains the furthest point, at almost {{convert|4800|km|abbr=on}}, at which the explosion was heard.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/how-krakatoa-made-the-biggest-bang-476616.html |title=How Krakatoa made the biggest bang&nbsp;— Science&nbsp;— News |newspaper=The Independent |date=3 May 2006 |access-date=6 March 2014 |archive-date=7 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107132159/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/how-krakatoa-made-the-biggest-bang-476616.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The sound was described as "the roar of heavy guns". Naval ships were ordered to investigate as it was feared the sound was due to a ship in distress firing its guns.  The noise remains the loudest sound in recorded history.{{citation needed|date = November 2023}}

In September 1897, solo sailor [[Joshua Slocum]] spent eight days on the island. He would later write, "At Rodriguez one may now find every convenience for filling pure and wholesome water in any quantity. Governor Roberts having built a reservoir in the hills, above the village, and laid pipes to the jetty, where, at the time of my visit, there were five and a half feet at high tide. In former years well-water was used, and more or less sickness occurred from it. Beef may be had in any quantity on the island, and at a moderate price. Sweet potatoes were plentiful and cheap; the large sack of them that I bought there for about four shillings kept unusually well. I simply stored them in the sloop's dry hold. Of fruits, pomegranates were most plentiful; for two shillings I obtained a large sack of them, as many as a donkey could pack from the orchard, which, by the way, was planted by nature herself."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Slocum |first1=Joshua |title=Sailing Alone Around the World |date=1901 |publisher=The Century Co. |location=New York |page=225 |url=https://archive.org/details/sailingalonearo01slocgoog/page/n251/mode/1up |access-date=3 January 2023}}</ref>

Early in 1968, [[HMS Cambrian (R85)|HMS ''Cambrian'']], which was part of the [[Beira Patrol]] following the [[Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence|Unilateral Declaration of Independence]] of [[Rhodesia]], was diverted to Rodrigues to quell a reported uprising by some of the populace. The uprising consisted of a number of individuals who had been arrested by the local authorities for breaking into a warehouse and appropriating a supply of sweet potatoes. Other locals went to the authorities and by violence released the arrested persons. At this point, it is believed that the authorities requested assistance which was provided by HMS ''Cambrian''. On her early morning arrival, the ship's 4.5" guns were fired (with blanks, it is believed) and an armed landing party was provided. This resulted in the offenders being rounded up and imprisoned again.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-03-04 |title=Cry Freedom: Rodrigues Island: Case for Self-Determination {{!}} Pambazuka News |url=https://www.pambazuka.org/pan-africanism/cry-freedom-rodrigues-island-case-self-determination |access-date=2023-09-29 |website=pambazuka.org |language=en |archive-date=3 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221203143436/https://www.pambazuka.org/pan-africanism/cry-freedom-rodrigues-island-case-self-determination |url-status=live }}</ref>