Rising to the rank of captain, Surcouf took command of the brig "Créole", a four-gun slave ship. He departed Isle de France on 3 June 1794 for a journey off Africa and Madagascar, and engaged again in slave trading, even though it had been prohibited by the National Convention and the Assembly of Île Bourbon. Upon his return to Isle de France, agents of the Committee of Public Safety inspected "Créole" for evidence of slave trading, but left empty-handed as Surcouf had already sold his slaves. When British naval forces arrived to blockade the Isle de France, he served as an auxiliary ensign on the 40-gun frigate "Cybèle" and participated in the inconclusive Action of 22 October 1794.