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From 1825 until 1848, slaves that were considered “detrimental to the peace and quiet” of the Ile Bourbon were “sent,” either temporarily or permanently, to Sainte-Marie, another French colony northeast of Madagascar. Not only did these slaves happen to participate in the toilsome colonization of the mere 155-mile-square isle, they were also subjected to an overly stern penal system. We would argue that the delays stemming from this repressive package result from a clash between the state power on the one hand and the slave owners on the other.