Celebrated Travels and Travellers

two boats-Monterey and the Indians of California-Stay at Macao-Cavite and Manilla-En route for China and Japan-Formosa-Quelpaert Island-The

of New Caledonia-Land of the Arsacides-The natives of Bouka-Stay in Port Carteret-Admiralty Islands-Stay at Amboine-Lewin Land-Nuyts Archipelago-Stay in Tasmania-Fêt

d secured to the navy. The French officers, desirous of emulating the success of their old rivals the English, were fired with a noble emulation to excel them in some new fie

e had been intrusted with the difficult mission of destroying the English posts in Hudson's Bay, and in this task he had proved himself not only an able soldier and sailor,

t of La

e of early

surgeon; Lepante Dagelet, an astronomer of the Academy of Sciences; Lamanon, a physicist; Duché de Vancy and Prevost the younger, draughtsmen; Collignon, a botanist; and Guéry, a clock maker. The Astrolabe, in addition to h

tors to certain points. Lastly, Fleurien, the superintendent of ports and naval arsenals, had himself drawn up the maps for the service of the expedi

, as well as a vast quantity of provisions and stores, a twenty-t

1st of August, 1785, and anchored

ind and cordial welcome accorded them by the English r

orda, upon Madeira, the Salvage Islands, and Teneriffe leave nothing to be w

ing justice to his predecessors. And we shall have o

cted some curious plants. Monneron succeeded in measuring this mountain with much greater accuracy than his predecessors, Herberdeen, Feuillée, Bouguer, Verdun, and Bo

to the west. The commander of the expedition sent a sloop on shore in charge of an officer, in the hope of finding water, wood, and provisions. The officer had an interview with the Portuguese governor, w

nd, the expedition reached Saint Cathe

rew had remained unimpaired by change of climate, rain, and fog; but our provisions were of first-class quality; I neglected none of the precautions which experience and pru

of the colony, where the governor resides, is built at the point of this narrow entrance. The population amounts, at the utmost, to three thousand, and there are about four hundred houses. The appearance of the town is very pleasant. According to Frezier's account, this island was a refuge in 1712 for the vagabonds who fled there

y be made to grow sugar-cane, but the inhabitants are so p

d in this spot, and their officers were cord

tants, after assisting in saving it, insisted on our shipwrecked sailors using their beds, and themselves slept on mats upon the floor of the room where they received the

s search for the large island discovered by a Frenchman, Antoine de la Roche, and called Georgia by Captain Cook, La Perouse crossed the Straits of Lemaire. Finding the winds favourable, he decided not to remain

han could have been expected. Upon the 9th of February the expedition was in the Straits of Magellan, and upon the 24th anchor was cast in Concepcion Harbour, which La Perouse preferred to that of Juan Fernandez, on a

e town of La Concepcion contains ten thousand inhabitants. The bay is one of the most commodious in the world; the sea is smooth, and almost free from currents. This part of

Europe; its wool, which might have sufficed for the manufactures of France and England; its meats, which might have been preserved-had no commerce whatever. At the same time the duty upon imported goods was

These petticoats, which are kept for grand occasions, are often inherited like diamonds, and are handed down from generation to gen

e inhabitants

ment induced him to lose sight of the object of his voyage. So far the expedition had only passed through regions often before visited by Europeans. It was now about to penetrate to le

lish navigator, has given a very unjust representation of the inhabitants. Generall

generation, whose numbers he estimates at two thousand. It appeared to him also that the absolute lack of trees, and therefore of lakes and rivers, was due to the extravagant waste of wood by the earlier races. No disagre

ts of Eas

to the American coast; but he was a hundred leagues farther west. La Perouse indulged in the hope of making discoveries in this little-known regio

s group five degrees too far east. This explains why the islands discovered by the Spanish-Mendana, Queros, &c.-are much too near the American coast, and also the non-existence of the group called by the Spaniards La Mesa, Los Majos, and La Disgraceada, which there is every reason to suppos

e sea-shore; and the mountains are so close that the habitable portion of the land appeared to me to be less than half a league in depth. One must be a sailor, and, like us, have been reduced to a bottle of water per day in a burning climate, to realize the sensations we experienced. The trees wh

o," &c. Clever traders, they attached most value to bits of old iron rings. Their acquaintance with iron and its use, for which they w

by which he had thought proper to protect himself. Although the French were the fi

have guns and bayonets, thinking nothing of sixty thousand of their fellow-men, and, without the least respect for the most sacred rights, looki

andwich Islands. He only passed a few hours there, whilst the English remain

ed pigs, mats, fruits, a pirogue, ornaments made of feather

survey the American coast, of which a portion, extending to Mount Elias h

ognized the Mount Elias of Behring. After skirting along the coast for some time, La Perouse sent three boat

re uninterrupted as far as an important river, which received the nam

ared to be a fine bay was discovered. Boats, under command of MM. d

forced to give way, and even to bring our ships to the wind. Fortunately the tide carried our frigates into the bay, and we escaped the rocks on the east by half a pistol's range. I anchored in three and a half fathoms, with a rocky bottom, half a cable's length from shore. The Astrolabe had anchored in the same depth, and upon a similar bottom. In all the thirty years I have spent at sea, I have never seen two vessels in greater danger

tives showed a decided preference for iron, in exchange for fish and the skins of otters and other animals. A

cely stirring a leaf, managed in spite of our sentinels to commit various thefts; and one night they were clever enough to enter the tent where MM. de Launston and Darbaud (who were in charge of the observatory) slept. They carr

es of the Por

y leaving the island, La Perouse wished thoroughly to explore the depths of the bay. He imagined that some large river must empty itself into it, which would en

ed the success which had so

hed so great a distance from Europe without having had one invalid or a single sufferer fro

the task, and three boats, under the orders of MM. d'Escures, de Marchainville, and Boutin, were selected for the undertaking. La Perouse, acquainted with the somewhat

as as much a party of pleasure as of duty, as the

ected it so soon, I asked M. Boutin, before he came on deck, whether he had any news. At first I feared an att

e dreadful peril. Carried, whilst following his commander, into the midst of breakers caused by the tide rushing with a speed of three or four leagues per hour out of the channel

he again approached the breakers, and in the hope of saving some life he again braved them, but was repulsed by the tide; finally, he mounted on M. Mout

at is to say, in a sea as still as the quietest harbour; but, impelled by an imprudent generosity-for all help was quite impossible under the circumstances-this rash young officer, being too high-spirited

nce leaving France, of never allowing the two brothers, M. la Borde Marchainville and M. la Borde Boutevilliers, to go on the same service, but on this one occasion he had yielded, as they desired to

d crew. Rewards were offered to the natives if they saved any one;

h boats outside th

e of early

erouse erected a monument to the memory of his unfortunate countrymen, in the middle of

his port, twenty-one

, mingle your t

f this deplorable accident, was b

e channel. The climate is much milder than in Hudson's Bay, which is in the same latitude. The vegetation is vigorous; pines six feet in girth, and a hundred and forty in height,

ndance of salmon, tr

sel, minever, squirrel, marmot, beaver, fox, elk, and the wild goat

ect cannot be compared with them, and I doubt whether the deep valleys of the Alps and Pyrenees offer so terrible, and at the

rouse gives an account of th

he iron which could be easily carried away, and they took every precaution to elude our vigilance at night. I invited some of the principal personages on board my frigate, and loaded them with presents; and the very men I disting

r a sort of wooden bowl without a handle, which rests on the gums, "to which this split lip forms a

and reconnoitring the indentations of the coast, for at all hazards he was to reach China during th

ontaining Mount Hyacinthine, Mount Edgecomb of Cook, Norfolk Sound, where the following year the English navigator Dixon was to anchor, ports Necker and Guibert, Cape Ts

; and in this he was correct. They contained George III.'s Island, Prince of Wales a

nd not a continent. Beyond Cape Fleurien, which formed the extremity of an elevated island, he passed several groups, which he named Sartines, and then returning, he reached Nootka Sound on the 25th of August. He afterwards visited various parts of the continent which Co

e fog was very thick, and more than once the fear of running upon some islet or rock, the existence of which could not be suspected, obliged th

d the sea was literally covered with pelicans, w

this part of America. It must be admitted that these Indians were usually small and insignificant, and not endowed with that lo

e smallest birds in our presence. It is true that they approach them with wonderful patience, hiding

l fours, appearing to graze, and carrying out the pantomime with such truth to life that our hunters would have fired at him at thirt

h a stag's hea

. His remarks upon the fertility of the country are more within our programme. "The harvest of maize, barley, corn, and peas," he says, "is comparable only to that of Chili. Our E

ish governor and the missionaries. They carried with them a quantity of provisions of all sorts, w

y, but their political jealousy prevented their publishing the discoveries and observations they had made. La Perouse

d difficult cruise, with contrary winds, whic

igging, that we had been sixteen months at sea. Our ropes gave way, and

upon which not a single tree grew, and which was thickly covered with guano, was discover

ived two cable lengths ahead of the Boussole. The sea, only broken here and there by a slight ripple, was so calm that it scarcely made any sound. Th

my crews the justice to say that less disorder and confusion in such a position would have been impossible. The slight

exact position, for the safety of succeeding navigators. La Perouse, a

avines and precipices, bordered by a few stunted cocoa-nut trees, alternately with tropical creepers and a few shrubs. It was almost impossible to advance a couple of hundred

d before the vessels returned to Europe. They were to take back an account of the

stopping, La Perouse sighted the coast of China, a

d by M. de Richery, midshipman, whose business it was to

ations to which Europeans were daily subjected under the most despotic and cowardly government in the world, aroused the indignation o

s. The sum produced should have been divided among the crews, and the head of the Swedish company unde

seloq, and Marivelle, wrongly placed upon D'Après' maps, they were forced to put into the port of Marivelle, to wait for better winds and

naturalists and geographical engineers, and the governor kindly lent us his own for the establishment of our observatory. We enjoyed as

ary and government officers resided; but although the town was nothing but a mass of ruins, it was none the less a port, and afforded the French every possible

into different canals, one of which leads to the famous Bay Lake, which is distant seven leagues in the

river navigable as far as the lake in which it rises. It is probably the most fortunately situated town in the whole world. Provisi

imports bring to the treasury some eight hundred thousand piastres, the colony costs the Spanish government at least fifteen hundred thousand francs per annum, which are sent from Mexico. The immense possessions of the Spanis

Philippine Islands, supposing that colony to be as well governed as po

s with the contrary monsoon, and received despatches from Europe by the frigate La Subtile, MM. Guyet, midshipman,

vered a very dangerous bank unknown to navigators, and carefully examined the soundings and approaches. Shortly afterwards

ssume various shapes, reconnoitred the small island of Botol-Tabaco-Xima, where no navigator had landed, coasted Kinin Island, which forms part of the kingdom of Liken, whose inhabitants are neither Ch

h prevail upon the coast of Labrador, with variable and violent currents. The first point of interest before entering the Sea of Japan was Quelpaert Island, first made kno

entre of the island; the land slopes gently from thence to the sea, so that the houses look like an amphitheatre. The soil seemed to be highly cultivated. By the aid of our glasses we clearly made o

more important, as no European vessel had navigated these seas, which were only indicated

hannel of Corea, which was minutely explored, a

was easy to observe some fortifications in the

on any map, and which seemed to be about twenty leagues distant

apan, but it was very slow, on accoun

Noto and the island of T

astern coast, the position of which was determined by Captain King, the width of the northern half of the empire may be ascertained. Our

seven thousand feet high. A small quantity of snow was visible on the summits. No trace of inhabitants or cultivation could be seen; nor was any river's mou

hers assign for the so-called Strait of Tessoy, but we were five degrees farther west than the longitude given for this spot.

ved-not a pirogue left the shore. The country, although covered with m

be cast anchor in a bay situated in 45° 13' N. l

ince we left France. It was the only portion of the globe which had escaped the indefatigable activity of Captain

ly grazing. Our impatience to disembark increased at the sight. The ground was carpeted with plants similar to those of our climate, but more vigorous and green; most of them were in flower. At every step we found roses, red and yellow lilies, lilies of the valley, and almost all our field flowers. The summits of the mountains we

side. The heads were covered with stuff caps, the bodies were wrapped in bearskins, and from the waists hung several little Chinese coins and copper ornaments

olitary bay, after depositing there several medals,

ere at once salted, were caught, and an immense quantity

r than Saghalien. The shore here was as wooded as that of Tartary. Lofty mountains arose in the interior, the highest of which was called Lamanon peak. A

ving some presents for the natives, a pirogue l

rom those of the Chinese. Others wore long gowns, which were fastened by means of a waist-belt and some little buttons, so that they had no need of drawers. Their heads were bare, but one or two of them wore bearskin bands. They had their forelocks and f

whom the others showed the most respect, had his eyes in a dreadful state; he wore a shade r

his officers attended. The facts they learned about these Tartars were i

ning nearly N. and S. To the east, vis-à-vis in the same direction, he represented his island, and, placing his hand upon his breast, made us understand that he had indicated his own country. He left an opening between his

his island, which he called Tchoka, and made a line for the little river upon the shore of which we were-placing it two-thirds of the length of the island from north to south. He then drew Manchuria, leaving, as the old man had don

of three inches one from the other, he made us understand that he meant to indicate the width of the little river which formed our watering place; and then, holding them wider apart, h

ad given the name of Saghalien, without guessing its extension southwards. I ordered all hands on board, and prepared to sail in the morni

the stove, cooking utensils, and the bench running all round. That in front was absolutely bare, and probably destined for the reception of strangers. The women fled when they saw the French land. Two of them,

the coast

s, from the shores of Saghalien River. In the corner of the island was a kind of circus, planted with fifteen or twenty stakes, each surmounted by the hea

sted, and he had no more wood. The further he penetrated into the strait which separates Saghalien from the continent, the more the depth diminished. La Perouse, recognizing that he could not double the island of Saghalien by the north, and afra

and, while the carpenters cut down wood,

e exposed to the sun upon perches, after having been smoked for three or four days at the stove which is in the centre of the hut. The wo

very cleverly. They sucked out the mucilage, much as we eat oysters. Their fish seldom reach the shore without having first paid toll, unless the catch is very larg

hair to grow long, and dress it somewhat in the European style. The women wear it loose over their shoulders, and the description we have given applies to them as well as to the men, from whom they are scarcely to be distinguished, except for a slight difference in their apparel. The women are not subject to any labour, which, as in the case of the American Indians, might have accounted for the inelegance of their

al Or

e of early

btained. From them he ascertained that the northern point of Saghalien was connected with the

fathoms in the canal. There remained but one point of interest to determine, and that was the sur

and Jesso; this they named after La Perouse. Hitherto the geography of this part of the world had been most fanciful and imaginary. Sansen was of opinion that Corea was an island, and that Jesso, Oku-Jesso, and Kamtchatka existed only in imagination; whilst Delisle insisted

ries of the French expedition

and stated that they were handsome men, far more industrious tha

. Of this they collect considerable quantities. They extract it in a way which is far from economical. They cut the flesh into pieces, and dry it upon

sion of the Dutch Company, and shortly reached the Kurile Islands. They then passed between Marikon Island and the Island

ere the eyes rest painfully, and often fearfully, upon enormous masses of rock, which are already

s; the naturalists made the perilous and arduous ascent of a volcano, some eight leagues inland; whilst those of the crew who were not enga

pened with Russian dances, the airs for which were very lively, and like those of the Cossack dances given a short time since in Paris. These were followed by Kamtchatka dances, which were comparable only to the convulsionists of the famous tomb of Saint Médard. The dancers of this part of Asia scarcely require legs, they make such vigorous use of the shoulders and arms. The impression made upon the spectators by the convulsive and contorted movements of the Kamtchatka da

. The news he brought was pleasant for every one, but par

in 1741, upon his return from an expedition undertaken by command of the Czar for the survey of the American coast. His fellow-countrymen honoured his

rance is narrow, and forts might easily be constructed to command vessels entering it. The anchorage is excellent, the bottom mudd

Russia, who had accompanied La Perouse thus far upon his expedition, was charged to return to France by l

for the third time, they passed the site given by Byron as that of the Dangerous Islands, without finding them; and, upon the 6th of December, entered the Navigator Archipelago, the merit of dis

eg. Many of these islanders were covered with sores, which may have been the commencement of leprosy; for I noticed two men, whose ulcerated and swollen leg

oo bad to admit of a second night's stay. Every precaution having been taken, La Perouse landed, and proceeded to the spot where his sailors were obtaining water. Captain Langle penetrated to a smal

the same time a native, getting into one of the sloops, possessed himself of a hammer, and commenced dealin

njoyed a delightful excursion through a charming country, which rejoiced in the double adv

and sufficient nourishment to the inhabitants; while chickens, pigs, and dogs

he prudence and reserve of the French, who kept on their guard, they did not amount to anything serious. La

all other things which he had on board; and as some of his crew showed sign

sted that a captain is responsible for the health of his crew, that the spot which he named was perfect

of so much judgment, that his representation

be under M. de Langle's orders. M. de Langle was accompanied in his boat by M. de Lauranon and M. Collinet, who were invalids, and M. de Varignas, who was convalescent. M. de Gobien commanded the sloo

en, instead of a large and commodious bay, they found a creek filled with coral, which it was only possible to reach through a tortuous channel, where the surf br

and children he observed among them, the quantities of pigs and f

airs did not last long. Many of the pirogues, having disposed of their wares to our vessels, returned to the shore, and, landing in the bay of our watering-place, it was soon entirely filled by th

in embarking the water-casks. But the bay was almost dry, and he could not hope to get his boats off before four o'clock in the afternoon. However,

ans who were in shallow water surrounded the sloops for a distance of at least two hund

wise he would, no doubt, have ordered a general discharge, which would effectually have scattered the mult

ime to discharge his gun. He was thrown over, and unfortunately fell outside the sloop. He was at once massacred by more than two hundred Indians,

ot yet occupied by the Indians. By this outlet, all the wounded who were fortunate enough to avoid falling into the open sea, escaped by swimming. They

shot killed an Indian; but there was no time to re-load. M. Boutin was knocked down by a stone, and fortunately fell between the two stranded boats. Those who had escaped by swimming

Varignas was wise enough to maintain, and to the punctuality with which M

in their retreat. They hastened in great numbers towards the reefs, within six feet of which the boats must necessarily p

desist, representing to him that if by any mishap one of the boats ran aground, the creek was so situated, being bordered with trees which afforded secure shelter to the natives, th

ogues left the shore, bringing pigs, pigeons, and cocoa-nuts, and offering them in exchange.

to upset the plans of the expedition. At the slightest approach of danger it would now be necessary to destroy one frigate, in order to arm the other.

which Bougainville had seen from a distance, was sighted. It was larger than Tahiti,

us productions of their island. It appeared that the French must have been the first to trade with them, for they were quit

gures; their eyes were gentle, and their movements qui

on the 17th of December. Probably the news of the massacre of the Frenc

by a strait, which the navigators would not have perceived, had they not coasted close in shore. About a score o

is group as belonging to the finest Polynesian race. Tall, vigorous, and well-formed, they are of finer type than those of the Sandwich Islands, whose language is very similar to theirs. Under other c

Archipelago, Roggewein's crew had been attacked and stoned to death; at Traitor Island, which was now in sight, Schout

justice severely; we demonstrated by force of arms that flight would not save them from our vengeance; we re

s and the natives. We cannot sufficiently praise the prudence and humanity of the commander

which had not been visited by the English navigator. As large as Tonga Tabou, it is higher, and not wanting in fresh water. La Perouse reconnoitred many of these islands, and entered into relations with the natives

and broken appearance, and serves only as a resting-place for sea birds. On this account La Perouse, having no reason for remaining, wished to

of shore, intending to allow the naturalists to land, and inspect the productions of the island; but the waves brok

in attempts, and was quite unp

r command of Commodore Phillip, who was engaged in constructing Port Jackson, the embryo of that powerful colony whic

e intended building two sloops, to replace those which had been destroyed at Maouna. All his wounded, amongst them M. Lavaux, the surgeon of the Astrolabe,

ate, giving particulars of his i

ertain, if possible, whether the latter constitutes a portion of New Guinea, or is a separate continent. At the end of July, 1788, I shall pass between New Guinea and New Holland by some other channel than the Endeavour; that is to say, if there be another. Durin

e himself appointed, but two entire years passed away

, 1791, a decree was passed enjoining the fitting out of two or more armed vessels, to be sent in search of La Perouse. It was argued, that had shipwreck overtaken the expedition a number of the crews might still survive, and that it was only just to carry help to them as soon a

ders of M. Huon de Kermadec, ship's captain, were placed at his command. The staff of these vessels comprised many officers who later attained to high military positions. Amongst them were, Rossei, Willaumez, Trobriand, La G

er, they reached Teneriffe upon the 13th of October. An ascent of the famous Peak followed as a matter of course. La Billardière noticed a phenomenon whi

phosphorescent appearance of the sea is caused by minute globular animalculi, floating in the waves. The voyage to the Cape, where the vessels arrived upon the 18th of January, 17

n. From this communication it appeared that two French captains, from Batavia, had stated that Commodore Hunter, in command of the English frigate Syrius, had seen, "near the Admiralty Islands, in the Pacific

had time to hear that the vessels just arrived were those sent in search of La Perouse, and yet he had made no communication to the commander upon the subject. But it was soon ascertained that Hunter had dec

of D'Entr

e of early

ny excursions in the neighbourhood: La Billardière had penetrated as far in

een St. Paul and Amsterdam Islands. Captain Valming had discovered these islands in 1696, and they had been recognized by Cook in his last voyage. When the Reche

eme point of this bay was named after D'Entrecasteaux. Wood was easily obtained there, and fish was very abundant. Amongst the magnificent trees of the country, La Billardièr

t the port, and made for a strait, a

ce when they came upon four natives, attending to three small fires, by which they were seated. They took to flight on seeing the strangers, in spit

t, but approached Creton with a bold air, possibly owing to his confidence in his own strength. Some of these savages were naked, and ot

upon four

rn coast of New Caledonia, which La Perouse should have visited. A portion of Pine I

hem and the main land. At the northern extremity several mountainous islands and detached rocks were perceived, which rendered th

of July. A true service was thus rendered to geographers and navigators, t

f it to reach the land of the Arsacides, which had been seen by Surville, and visited some

ystone. We took it at first, as Shortland had done, for a sailing vessel. The illusion was the greater, as in colour it much resembles the

ille took them for one island-D'Entrecasteaux coasted Bougainville Island. It is separated from Bouka Island by a narrow strait, and is covered wit

and strong. Although their features are not pleasant, they are very expressive. They have large heads, and broad foreheads. Their face

. They appear very skilful in the use of bows and arrows. One of them brought a gannet

t admire the skill with which they coated the strings of their bows with resin, in such a way that at first sight t

lands was completed upon the 15th of July. Boug

to which Carteret had given the name of Sir Charles Ha

lished upon Cocoa Island. This island is covered with evergreen trees

th difficulty. On the other hand, it afforded the naturalists s

the stay; it was like a ceas

ost an anchor, the cable having been cut by the coral reefs. The two vessels then entered St. George's Strait, which at the southern extremity is only about forty-two miles

recasteaux continued his route towards the Admiralty Islands, which he intended to visit. It was upon the most easterly of the

ss their joy. At half-past one the vessels anchored, and a boat was despatched from each, containing articles for distribution among the natives of this small island. The frigates were so placed as t

ithin a hundred yards of the shore. Numbers of the natives c

of the natives to jump into the water, and bring us some cocoa-nuts. Fearing to approach strangers swimming and defenceless, he hesitated for a mo

ipate in our presents. Pirogues were immediately launched, and many natives swam to the boats, which were shortly su

It seems probable that they would never have observed these people if the

the effect that the natives underst

o trade with the natives. He did not land anywhere, and does not appear to have executed thi

a Spanish frigate, La Princesa. The natives, like all those they had encountered, showed a

Schouten Island, and the coast of New Guinea, were successively sighted. In the interior of the last-named a large

e Recherche and the Espérance entere

lengthened rest. The naturalists, astronomers, and other scientific men immediately landed, and took the necessary steps for the prosecution of their various observations. The

stead. But my ear deceived me, for I found that I was not a hundred yards from the instrument. A bamboo cane, at least sixty feet high, was fixed vertically upon the shore. At each notch a slit had been made, about two and a half inches long and one and a quarter broad. These slits made so many opening

re well caulked, the sails and rigging attended to, and ever

a, and the manners and customs of the na

en or fourteen miles in length, and about two and a half miles in brea

some of the members of government reside there. It was at this time

the island composed a considerable part; the remainder consisted of a few

y is therefore seldom true to its promise to allow them to return to Europe at the expiration of their time of service. I met with several of t

l. The country produces spices, coffee, which is inferior to that of Reunion

, however, prohibit the growth of this article of commerce, because its sale enables them to keep back a part of the sum which they are oblige

urage all industry in the population, by forcing them, as it

mpass of ordinary consumption. Their efforts, which are destructive of

s, ducks, geese, pigs, goats, potatoes, yams, bananas, and pumpkins. Meat, however, they obtained in but small quantities, the flour was of a bad quality, a

of the Repub

for a long voyage. These young shoots are generally very tender. They are gathered early, and sold in the ma

ppreciated by the Chinese, who think

tely, ignorant preservers had chosen full-grown nutmegs. Cloves, when once as large as ordinary olives, retain too much flavour

of which were bought. Many travellers have spoken in praise of th

rth shore of Timor, Baton Island, and the delightful Sauva Island, were successively passed; and finally, upon the 16th "Fri

as extremely dangerous. The sea ran high, the wind was boisterous, and it was necessary to steer amongst the breakers. During a strong gale the Espérance was ne

n forced to tack about all night amidst these perilous breakers, hoping for a change of wind which would make it possible for her to reach the open sea, and mus

named Riche, belonging to the Recherche, landing upon the mainland to make observations, lost

ago concluded the d

de had been determined by this navigator, at a time when instruments were very imp

s of a bottle of water per day, that he had been forced to discontinue the distribution of anti-scorbutic drinks, and that he had only thirty casks of water remaining. The Recherche was hardl

blican calendar, from 21st

ver tired of admiring the vast forests of gigantic trees, and the many unknown shrubs and plants, through which he had to force his way. During one of his numerous excursions he picked up some fine pieces of beautiful bronze red h?matite, and further on some earth cont

blican calendar, from 20t

who were even more lightly clad than their mothers. They have woolly hair, and the men let their beards grow long. In the children the upper jaw projects, but in adults it is

ught to be universal amongst their tribes, of extracting the incisor teeth, for we saw no native with any missing from the upper jaw, and they all had very fine, strong teeth. These people swarm with vermin. We could not

ick played upon a sailor by a young savage. The man had collected a number of shells, and left them in a bag at the foot of a rock. The native furtively r

x set sail for New Zealand, and reached its southern extremity. After an interview with the natives, too short to admit of additions being made to the many and precise observations of Captain Cook, D'Entrecasteaux started for the Fri

of French Repu

, and scrupulously superintended the trade with the islanders. This was no easy task,

ch he was the victim. He was followed to the provi

clothes, and was off before I perceived the theft; the other speedily followed. I was the more surprised at this attempt, because I should have supposed they would not have had the courage to steal so large an object, running the risk of bein

of Tonga Tabou, Vavao, and of Annamooka, was named Toubau. He visited the ships, and brought back a gun which had been stolen a day or two previously from a sentinel. He presented D'Entrecasteaux with two pieces of stuf

came on board. This was Queen Tina. She tasted everything that was offered to her, but preferred preserved bananas. The st

Finau and Omalai, and conducted by them to an extensive esplanade. Toubau arrived with his two daughters. They had sprinkl

om all parts in great crowds; we estimated tha

ask excited the most vivid admiration from all the assembled natives. 'Eho! Eho!' they exclaimed repeatedly, in accents of the greatest surprise. They uttered the same admiring cry when we unfolded some pieces of coloured ribbon, in wh

unlike that of a tambourine, and they were arranged in the following order. The two medium-sized canes were in unison, the longest a tone and a half lower, and the shortest two tones and a half higher. The voice of the alto was heard far above all the others, although he was a little hoarse; he accompanied himself by striking with two little sticks upon a bamboo cane, some six ya

e had them unrolled with great ostentation, that we might fully appreciate the value of his gift. The minister seated upo

applauding cries of 'Mali, Mali;' and it was evident that the music had an agreeable and inspiriting e

means equal to the splendid entertainme

'Entrecasteaux at t

e of early

Recherche pursued the thieves, they turned, and seeing him alone, struck him on the head with a club. Fortunately his danger was perceived by those on board the Espérance, and a well-directed shot dispersed his assaillants. Several natives were killed upon this occasion by the officer

, "convinced us that La Perouse had not visited any of these islands. They remembered perfectly every occasion upon which they

erouse, was in direct contradiction to the facts which Dumont-D

ing guns and many Europeans, had anchored off Annamooka, and remained there six days. They showed a white flag, quite unlike the English one. The strangers had been very friendly with the natives, and had had a house on the island and entered into trade. She related tha

truth, more especially that relating to the flag, as being different to that of the English. Must we then charge D'Entrecasteaux with want of thorou

erly of the islands of Santo Espiritu, discovered by Quiros in 1660. Beyond this Annatom, Tanna, with its volcano in constant eruption, and the Beautemps-Beaupré Islands were pas

epublican calendar, from

ng to eat; and their need was unmistakable, for they pointed to their manifestly empty stomachs. Captain Cook had already remarked that they managed their pirogues, which were far less ingeniously constructed than those of the Friendly Islands, unskilfully. The greater numb

tive of Ne

e of early

ed the huts of the natives, which were shaped like beeh

atives, who had assembled from all directions. They began by demanding stuffs and iro

hand, whilst he held out the other for the price upon which we had agreed. But at the same moment another native, who had taken up his stand behind me, uttered a shrill scream, which

of our weakness, and so add to the native insolence; and

We were still unwilling to act harshly, as we had heard so much in their favour from Forster's narrative, and ha

animal, accepted it, but before eating it showed it to me. I at once recognized that it had belonged to the body of a child, of probably fourteen or fifteen years of age. The natives crowding

be capable of so degrading a practice, but the most incredulous were soon convinced. I had retained possession of the gnawed bone, and our surgeon at once recognized it as that of a child. To make still more sure of the cann

of New C

and became so impudent, that we were forced to drive them away

their meal to the strangers. It prov

s of their arms and legs, uttering the word Karapek, with an expr

oubt of the intentions of the natives. They even attempted to possess themselves of the hatchets

ves, many of whom were killed or wounded. But in spite of the repulses they me

hunger, by filling the stomach and sustaining the viscera of the diaphragm, and although it contains no nourishment whatever, it is useful to them, because they have long periods when food is sc

. Jules Garnier states that a tradition exists of the appearance of two large s

raternized with them; they were quite astonished at their riches, and their cupidity induced them to oppose the departure of the French sailors by force; but their ardour was moderated by a v

land, should have heard nothing of these events. The island is small, and its population has al

ight have found some trace of the course taken by La Perouse, who was a careful navigator, and anxious to emulate Cook, who had touched at several points of that coast. A whal

ir native escort, "an old rusty sword, in the fashion of the last century," which bore the impression of th

ess a cross of the order of St. Louis, to a savage. No doubt an officer had

rding to the latter, they are robbers, traitors, and cannibals. M. Jules Garnier suggests that some extraordinary event must have changed the disposition of the natives between the two visits. Most likely an encoun

s forming the water-shed of the northern extremity of New Cale

iously, when we coasted the eastern shores of their island, for before t

subject. Were the vessels seen by them those of La Perouse

ions more zealously. No doubt, had he done so, he would have found traces of his fellow-countrymen. We shal

o a hectic fever from which he had long been suffering. He was su

ly Moulin and Huon Islands, and Santa Cruz de Mendana, which is separated from N

epublican calendar, fro

let surrounded by coral reefs, upon which La Perouse's vessels had been wrecked, and which at this time, in all probability, was inhabited by some of the unfortunate seamen. It w

ides. He reconnoitred the northern coast, and thence reached the shores of Lousiade, which La Perouse had announced his intention of visiting when he left Salomon Island, and surveyed Cape Deliveranc

st of New Guinea. They then directed their course to Dampier's Strait. After sailing along the northern coast of New Britain, several small and mou

uly he sunk under long and protracted sufferings. After a stay at Waihoun and Bouro Islands, at which latter place the President overwhelmed the French with civilities, and where Bougainville was still remembered by the natives, the expedit

he Island

y the Dutch governor. Fearing that the news from Europe, affecting as it did the various members of the expedition so differently, might lead to disaffection in his colony, he subjected his "prisoners," as he called the French, to most humiliating conditions, which they could not escape. Irritation and hatred were ramp

e; but being taken prisoner by an English frigate, he was deprived of his property, in defiance of justice; and when France obtained the objects of natural history, of which she had been robbed-the ex

d in some geographical discoveries; it had completed or rectified those made by preceding navigators; and to it, esp