160 slaves were cruelly abandoned on a dangerous tiny island in 1761.
15 years later, only 7 women survived.
They kept the same fire burning every day of their ordeal.
Here's history's most insane survival story (the brutality will shock you to the core):
1761: The Indian Ocean was a dangerous place.
Pirates, storms, and treacherous reefs claimed countless ships.
But this story isn't about a shipwreck.
It's about what happened after - when 160 Malagasy slaves were abandoned on a barren island for 15 years:
The story begins with an East India Company ship, L'Utile.
Its captain, Jean Lafargue, had illegally purchased Malagasy slaves from Madagascar.
His destination? The slave markets of Mauritius.
In the darkness of night, they sailed toward disaster...
The captain faced a deadly dilemma:
He had two navigation charts of the area.
Both contradicted each other.
Both were completely wrong.
On July 31, 1761, L'Utile struck the coral reefs.
The hull shattered within minutes.
Many slaves, trapped in the cargo hold, perished immediately.
The survivors emerged to a desolate reality that would test human endurance:
Imagine washing up on this:
A flat strip of sand, one mile long by half a mile wide.
No natural shelter from the scorching sun or chilling winds.
No fresh water. No vegetation. Just coral reefs and endless ocean:
First Officer Barthelemy Castellan took command after Captain Lafargue's mental breakdown:
The survivors salvaged what they could from the wreck:
• Food barrels
• Tools and timber
But with limited supplies, survival seemed impossible:
Their first battle was against thirst.
Using salvaged tools, they dug for three straight days.
The result? A 5-meter deep well that would sustain life.
In the scorching heat, this feat alone was remarkable.
Then they discovered something ingenious for shelter:
By crushing coral into powder, mixing with water, and drying it in the sun:
They created "beachrock" - a natural cement.
They built an entire hamlet with engineering:
• Thick coral walls
• Windows positioned away from typhoon winds
• Kitchen areas with salvaged utensils
After two months, everything changed:
The French crew built a boat named "Providence" from the wreckage.
122 crew members boarded but they left 60 slaves behind on the island.
Though they promised to return, their departure marked the beginning of a 15-year ordeal:
The crew reached Madagascar, then Mauritius.
Castellan repeatedly requested rescue missions.
But the French authorities refused due to:
• Colonial politics
• Seven Years' War aftermath
• French East India Company's bankruptcy
For 15 years, these human beings were treated as footnotes in history.
French newspapers occasionally mentioned their plight.
Officials knew of their existence.
But in an era when slaves were considered property, their lives were deemed unworthy of rescue:
Two rescue attempts in 1773 ended in tragedy:
The second mission's failure was devastating:
• A crew member became stranded with them
• His attempted escape with six others was lost at sea
Yet despite these setbacks, the survivors persevered:
Finally, in 1776, Castellan's relentless advocacy succeeded.
Captain Jacques Marie Boudin de Tromelin led a rescue mission.
What they discovered was extraordinary:
Seven women and an eight-month-old infant had survived:
The same fire they'd lit after the shipwreck was still burning.
For 15 years, they'd maintained it daily.
Using wreckage wood and driftwood, they never let it extinguish.
This eternal flame became a symbol of their resilience:
These survivors showed remarkable ingenuity:
They crafted clothing entirely from bird feathers.
Their copper pots showed evidence of multiple repairs.
Their structures had withstood 15 years of brutal storms:
Modern archaeological excavations revealed their achievement:
A 30-centimeter layer of white sand preserved their settlement.
Every artifact told a story:
• Coral stone walls
• Repaired copper utensils
• Carefully designed living spaces
Today, it's called Tromelin Island, after the captain who saved them.
But the real heroes were these seven women.
They transformed a death sentence into one of history's greatest survival stories.
They proved that human will, when tested, knows no limits:
These women's story teaches us something profound:
True success isn't about having every resource.
It's about maximizing what you have.
And in today's world, that's more relevant than ever:
Like those survivors, modern entrepreneurs face their own deserted islands:
• Limited time
• Endless competition
• Constant pressure
But there's a way to not just survive, but thrive:
It's about building systems that work for you.
Creating processes that multiply your impact.
Finding ways to achieve more with less.
Just like those seven women did:
I've spent years cracking the code of peak performance without burnout.
Now, I'm sharing these insights with a community of high performers.
Want to join us?
Subscribe to The Infinite Game newsletter.
Join 1,500+ others learning how to master their mind, body, and business.
Click here to start your journey:
Thanks for reading!
Follow @CodyAlt for more insights.
PS. In case you missed it above, want the blueprint that built my 9-figure business while working just 4 hours a day?
Click here to join 1,500+ high performers on my newsletter →
About me:
I grew up in the middle of nowhere, Montana.
Today I've built a 9-figure business & made 0M+ in online sales - all without burning out or sacrificing my health and I want to help you do the same.
Join 1,500+ weekly readers:
