Excavation reveals what is under the surface and adds to our knowledge information that would otherwise stay buried. The fragility of the site demands however great respect and the choice of the location and size of the trenches to be dug must be carefully evaluated beforehand.
   The excavation of trench TR11 did not provide evidence as to the function of Structure 33, nor did it confirm the date of construction as had been hoped. Although the recovery of archaeozoological and archaeobotanical material from yet earlier levels was slighter than had been anticipated, the recovery of animal bone, which exhibits very different butchering practices from those observed in trench TR16, is of not inconsiderable interest.
   The dump of animal bone, marine shell and waste material in the Western Ditch holds considerable potential for further study, even though it turns out to postdate French rule. If the evidence of the buttons can be taken to be conclusive, the dump dates to the early years of British activity on Ile de la Passe, perhaps somewhere between 1810 and the early 1820s. This dump of animal bone, including waste material from bone working, has great potential for the study of the diet and other activities of the garrison on Ile de la Passe during some part of the British period. Amongst the bone there is a considerable amount of fish, very little of which is of any size. Small lagoon fish and shellfish would thus appear to have formed a substantial part of the diet. With regard to the mammals, it would appear that the great majority were slaughtered and butchered elsewhere. Whether they were slaughtered on Mauritius or came salted from Europe is a matter for further research. In any event, almost all of the bones have been cut for the extraction of marrow, an indication of relatively poor diet and/or scarcity of meat. On a later occasion, it might be desirable to extend these trenches in order to obtain a larger sample of bone for analysis but any such expansion should be made only after consultation with a specialist in archaeozoology and, ideally, with the specialist who is to study the material being there to supervise the recovery of the bone during excavation.
   The importance of the archaeozoological material for comparative studies with sites on the mainland of Mauritius together with the evidence from shipwrecks (such as the Sirius) demonstrates that the continuation of archaeological investigations at Ile de la Passe will produce results that shed light on many aspects of 18th and 19th century Mauritius.
   In the central area, excavation of trenches TR17 and TR18 shed some light on the building shown on a late French plan, together with a detailed elevation, with convincing evidence that even if the building was ever erected in this location it was certainly not built in the manner depicted. There is no cutting in the soft bedrock, either within these two trenches or in the immediate area where much of the surface of the bedrock can be seen.
   As for graffiti, they are important for two reasons. Firstly they hold not inconsiderable historical potential and may perhaps lead to the discovery of new evidence in archives and museums in the UK. Secondly, and perhaps more interestingly, these graffiti represent both personal and group reactions to and interactions of European troops and officers with what in the 19th century were the vacant buildings on a beautiful but desolate islet that had been the scene of British heroism and, eventually, Napoleonic victory. There are no graffiti that predate the abandonment of Ile de la Passe by the British Garrison, apparently in the in the late 1830s. This need cause no surprise since no army officer would tolerate men scrawling their names on garrison buildings, still less set an example by incising their own. Some names are found in several places, presumably representing multiple visits. The majority of the 19th century graffiti were made by the Fifth Fusiliers, there being few if any of other regiments.
   All these marks and signs are symbols made by individuals who do not feature in texts and documents, and as such they provide insights into the attitudes and culture of the common soldier which, as well as being reflections of their identities, influence our own reactions and sense of identity. This perhaps goes some way to explain why graffiti carved before 1945 might be considered important evidence of identity and place, while more recent carvings and spray paint seem to be little short of vandalism.
   Finally, the preliminary survey at Pointe du Diable demonstrated the importance of this strategic site in both the French and the British periods of rule, putting the defences on Ile de la Passe in the wider context of the defensive systems for the south of Mauritius. Of particular importance was the realisation that there are a large number of standing military structures, mostly roofless and covered with vegetation, that were associated with the 20th Century batteries. A full architectural survey of these remains would be of considerable interest well beyond Mauritius. It is vital to begin this work now because the reinforced concrete structures and elements constructed in WW II are coming to the end of their natural life.