The first batch of prisoners left the Breton port of Brest for the Îles du Salut on 31 March 1852.
Sept Îles | Salut les copains | Young Filipinas of Marigondon, early 1800s. From ''Aventures d'un Gentilhomme Breton aux iles Philippines'' by Paul de la Gironière | Sept-Îles | Salut Joe! Hommage à Joe Dassin | Salut d'Amour | Manila fishermen, early 1800s. Original caption: ''Pêcheurs de Manille''. From ''Aventures d'un Gentilhomme Breton aux iles Philippines'' by Paul de la Gironière | Îles Saint-Marcouf | Îles Maria | Îles du Salut | Greg Iles | Bridge of Binondoc in Manila, early 19th century. Original caption: ''Pont de Binondoc à Manille''. From ''Aventures d'un Gentilhomme Breton aux iles Philippines'' by Paul de la Gironière |
When a ship (such as La Loire or La Martinière) arrived from Saint-Martin-de-Ré, the first order of the day was to separate the "chevaux de retour" (literally "returned horses", but meaning the escaped prisoners) and the recidivists from the rest, to send them to the Îles du Salut, from whose shores escape was considered impossible.
Île Saint-Joseph, the southernmost island of the three Îles du Salut in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of French Guiana
The Iles du Salut, where Dreyfus was landed on March 15, composes a small archipelago situated twenty-seven miles (43 km) off Cayenne, opposite the mouth of the River Kuru.