Account of voyage La Perouse, 1802

AN

Account of a Voyage
IN

SEARCH OF

LA PEROUSE,
UNDERTAKEN BY ORDER OF THE

CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY OF FRANCE,
AND PERFORMED
In the Years 1791, 1792, and 1793.
IN

THE

Recherche and Efperance, Ships of ]Vai\

UNDER THE COAIMAND OF

Rear-Admiral Bruni D'Entrecasteaux.
TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH OF

M. LABILLARDIERE,
Correfpondent of the ci-devant Academy of Sciences,

Mcmtcr

of the

Society of Natural Hiftory of Paris, and one of the Naturalifts
attached ta

/iV

tlie

Expedition.

rWO VOLUMES.

EMBELLISHED WITH FORTY-THREE ENGRAVINGS,
And

u

Chart exhibiting the Track of the Ships

t^F.CONi)

VO
Z.

PRINTED FOR

B.

O

A^

EDinON.
L.

D O

II.

iV

BRYDGES STREET,
COVENT GARDEN.

UPHILL, No.

1802.

30,


J^nnif.ribv iJarker ;tnGr.'^t HuiTcll-fir.Cov.

Son

Gar


CONTENTS
OF THE

SECOND VOLUME.

CHAPTER
^taij

in

the

the

Rockj/ Baij.

interior
soil.

—

X.

— Various

c.rcursions into

— Goodness

of the country.-

of

Sin^'uiur organization of the hark

of several trees peculiar

to

Nezv Holland.

—
—

of pcnetrati/ig into the forests.
The trees in the i?itcrior of the country art

JJifficultij

not excavated

Fit-coal

South

hij

toicards

the

Cape. — luterciew

— Their

—

hy the seaside.

fire^ as

north-zcest

nith

the

of the
savages.

cojiduct to'cards us very peaceable.

One of them comes

in the night,

to look

—

at us

—Several accoinpany us across
during our
— Other
with
the
— They
on
them. — Polygamy
order
sleep.

different iuterviezcs

icoods.

these

broil

i)ihahitants.

the coals,

esfahHshed

in

among

shell-f.sh

to eat

these people.

A 2

—

'J'hcir

man?'cr


COXTENTS.

IV

ner of f.sh'wg.
lobsters^

— The JVomen

and other

go

in search

of

and sometimes

she/I-Jish,

dree for them to a considerable depth.

of the savages comes on board.

—One

—Their knowPage

ledge in botany.

1

CHAPTER XL

— pass through
Strait. — The Ships run

departure from Rochy Bay.
D'EntrecasteaiLv's

aground
into

the

in

this Strait.

—

neighbouring

with the natives.

fJ^c

l^arious edcursions

country.

— 7 hey

— Tnterviezv

deposit in the woods

their arms^ which they resume on going away.

—IFe anchor

in

Adventure Bay.

CHAPTER

XII.

Departure from Adventure Bay.
northward of
close, to it.

New

Page 63

-

— JVc go

the

to

Zealand^ and pass quite

— Interview with

its

JVe discover several islands y

inhabit ajiis.
till

then

—

un-

hnoxvn.—Jre anchor atTongatahoo, one of the
Friendly Islands.— Eagerness cf the inhabitants to c(mie

Oil

board,

fresh provisions. — lie
—
arc
— 0/ie of our

and

salt a

hogs.

llie i'.landers

to theft.

to

procure us

great number of

very much addiilcd

sentinels

is

knocLcd
down.


V

C0XTEXT5.
doai),
,sUi(!s

(hirijif;
li'is

the

unr-kcL-

?i'n.;'i/-y

'-

''

/'//

a iiallcc,

J^'ofjcuder

ddivered up

r;

to ^Ubnirul i)' Eiif rccaslcaiLv hij K'uig

rclurns h'nn

"icuf)

i:iuleji.'-

(lie

-QueLdT'mcli

htm

y'ineh also n'/ves

Toobou^

had

muslict that

been.

on board. —
the Admiral. — Qi.:en

eoine.s

giresa/i entertainDieiit to

icJio

one.

—

'/oobr'ic

1 he smith of the

Rcclierehe /alls inuler the bloics given hi/n
leith

elabs

the natives,

bij

bi;

ichom he

stripped in the open day, in sight of our ships.

is

—

JTe take on boaid som.e yoa)}g plants cf thz
bread- fruit tree,

in-

order lo

e.

our co-

ieh

Paire
\^^ 80

lonies u'ilh this valuable vc<]:etable.

CHAPTER
Departure from
south part

oj'

XIII.

Tongalaboo.

rk'unpix', or

Beaapi

Xeu. Caledonia. —
— Description of
—
vages are
tives.

us.

—

cannibals.

]'.,si:)iritii

"s Island.

— ITe anchor

—

fliese sa-

1 lieir impudence tvicards

their hunger.-

get possession

i)f

—TnAr

our boats.

ofCaptai?i Ilucn. — Neiv

i;/

order

attempts

— Various

sious into the interior oJ' the island.

-

to

ercurDeatJi

species ^f'spid(.r eaten

by the savages of Xczo Caledonia.

4

the na-

icitli

their itut.\

'fhep eat large pieces nj' steatites

to appease

tha

I)is''ovcry (}fVl^\c

inierviczis

tit

—

make

the ^Irctiipelago DcJ

Santo, or Aexe Hebrides.

de

—U^e

Pag-e

1

84

CllAF-


CONTENTS;

VI

CIIxVPTER XIV.
T>cpartnrt

from Nexv Caledonia.

with the inhabitants

Island. — Their

(rf Santa

dishonesty.

an arrow slightly wounds
of our

who

sailors,

— IntervkxvS

Cruz, or Eginont

—A

savage xcith

in the forehead one

dies in consequence

wound. — Singular construction of

^I'e get sight of the

north coast of

La

this

their canoes.

south part of Solomon's

— Interviexcs with
—Their treachery. —JFe

Archipelago.
tants.

of

Louisiade.

the

inhabi-

explore

the

Interviczcs with

its inhabitants. —Danger of this navigation.

fFe pass through Dampiers Strait, in
to

or

examine the north coast of

—

order

Nova Britannia,

New Britain. — Death of Admiral D'Entre-

—The scurvy makes great rdtages
— Death of thehaher of
board our two
Recherche. — We anchor IVaygiou. Page

C'jsteauT.

ships.

on.

the

at

'J59

CHAPTER XV.
Stay at Jf'aygiou.

— Our

rience :tives.

— He

Strait

— lie

—

scorbutic people expe-

hiterviews with

tJie

na-

anchor at Bouro.—U'e pass the
Bouton.—
Ravages of the dysentery.
of
detcniion

—Stay

at

Sama-

at Fort Ankai,

near

anchor at Sourahaya.-

rang. — My


vu

conte'nts.

Batavia.—Stay
return

in the Isle

of Finance,—

France.

to

My

Piige 301

351
Vocabulary of the Malay language
•- of the language of the Savages of

—

Cape Diemen

__

S9^

of the language of the Friendly

-^--^97

Islands
.

--------

— of the language of the Natives of

Nezv Caledonia

----.---

409

of the language of the Natives of
JVaygiou

------^---419

Tables of the Route of the F^sperance

-

-

1

Names and value of the New French Mea45
tures. compared ivith the Old


ERRATA— Vol.
'J

12

i^o-;-

free-ficne

10

G

For

free.ftovx- ffc a Vcir:d-i:op.tr.

(.1

5

4 '3

28

]

4-:-

1

!

7r

10
C7

^{>

l-l-

:> 1

1

47

1

ii.

2

li('

ly

12

10

7-A7i/ far.cl-flone.

i^cr free-ilur.c rc^rr/fand-jione.

Fcrhy read

ol.

For_/^V/c^Vj readyfrc/./.fj.

Yor fagaria xeddfagara.
/'triTcc-llone jv7;-/land-ftorie.
/"jr lay rr^,/ lain.

For Mzifcenda read Muffanda.
i^sr

fi'lfe fires rf'i?^ lkv_rockets.
/c? directly reed the moment th,
x^f/c' and.

i:>2

1

175
107

20

f'f r

2JU

13

SQX urih£uiti^^araTi:a,

17

i^ir iliark's pKin r^^./ ray's flcin.

d\v

lliiu'-s

rf/?^/

dwelling'-.


AN ACCOUNT
OF

VOYAGE

A

IN

SEARCH OF

LA PEROUSE.
CHAPTER
Stay in Rocky Bay,
the
the

X.

— Various

e.vcursions info

of the country. — Goodness of
—Singular organization of the bark

interior
soil.

of several trees peculiar to

New Holland.—

Difficulty of penetrating into the forests.

The

trees in the interior

of the country are

not excavated by Jire, as by the seaside.
Pit-coal

South

tozcards

the

Cape. — Interview

north-rvest
rcith

the

of the

—Several accompany us

sleep.

'he zcoods.

— Other

VOL.

ir.

different interviews
B

—

savages.

—Their conduct toxcards us very peaceable.
One of them comes in the night, to look at
during our

—

—
us

acroi-s
's.ith

these


VOYAGE

2

these inhabitants.

IN SEARCH

—They

the coals y in order to eat

among

established

ner of fishing.

da
^J

for them

yQ

"he

^

ledge*-

xxl

ancnorag<

blocks
.lad tor

-f

on

go

in search

of

shell-fishy ajid

sometimes

a considerable depth.

to

— One

—-Their knoiv-

botany.

nve <^^'clock in the morning, on the 23d

01 Januar

that

— The Women

savages coines on board.

//;,

^

shell-fish

them. —Polygamy
— Their man-

these people.

and other

"^'^bstersy

broil

1

^-^

(<-,^

landed near the entrance of our

j

.^

'jy^cfj j;he

'vv^ij^cd

fome
which

there faw along the iliore

I

the fragments of

free-ftone,

very fine fand refembling quartz

over for fome time.

he Efpcrance had already found, in a fmall

^^Jve to the north-weft, a watering-place, the

water of which was vtvy good, and very eafy to

be procured.

difcharged

The

rivulet that furnifhed

itfelf into

the fea from the height

of upwards of a meier.
difficult

to

convey

it

it,

It

was by no means

into the boat,

by means

of wooden troughs.

We

foon arrived near the head of the bay,

where wc found a houfe, built
like

manner by the

ilciil

with which

tr<;es

that covered

heavicft rain

i

its

favagcs.

tlicy
it

:

in a

workman-

We admired

the

had difpofed the bark of
it

was impervious to the

opening was placed towards
the


OF LA PEROUSE.
the fca
it,

;

and our curiofity to view the infide of

induced us to enter

We

3

it.

had been informed, that fome perfons

belonging to the Efpcrance had, the evening
quite clofe to this houfe,

before, perceived,

three natives feated round a fmall

had

;

but that
a

gun

with precipitation.

We

thcfe favages, terrified
fired at a bird,

fire

by the report of

fled

were not long before we had another proof of
their prefence in this extremity of the bay
it

and

;

feemed to us that they habitually came and

flept in the houfe.

We

foon had reafon to re-

pent having entered

this

cabin

for the

;

vermin

that ftuck to our clothes bit us fiiortly after in

a very difagreeable manner.

The

flood-tide had juft brought

up the

fea

into the interior of the country.

We there faw

many wild ducks, which

did not fulfer

a great

themfcives to be approached but
diftancc.

at a

very great

This fear which they betrayed for

man, made me fuppofe

that the natives deftroy

them.

We

on our return

to

woods but
the beach, we v/ere amply

compenfated.

As

the weather was very fine,

had found few

infedls in the

the infects had f^own from

among

number of

quarters

;

and,

thofe

which had en-

to crofs the bay, tnere

had fallen in-

the great

deavoured

all

;

to the water a great

many

c

2

ik.4'mesj

and various
coleop-


VOYAGE IN SEARCH

4
coleopterdy

The

of extremely fingular forms.

wind had driven them on the fand, where
was very eafy for us to pick them up.

The next morning,
light,

we went on

foon

as

it

was day-

as it

fhore near the head of the

where we entered a large valley,
which extends to the fouth-weft between fome

road (lead,

very high
higheft,

as the bafe
tlic

From

hills.

we had

a

the top of one of the

view of

all

the country, as far

of the great mountain which lay to

north-weft of our

lliips.

had not yet melted on

its

The fnow, which

fummit, afforded a

very pidlurefque appearance, and gave a relief
to

the

beautiful

verdure of the large

which fcemed to be growing there

trees,

in full vi-

gour.

On
I

the declivity of the hills where

remarked

various

Lower down, we faw

fpecies
iffuing

ly, I

could

fire

lai:e is in the

only

at

flood,

of embothrium.

from feveral places

very clear water, that ran into

perceived fomepelicans^

we

a lake,

where

I

which, unfortunate-

at a great diflance.

middle of a large plain, the

This
foil

compofed of a
clay impregnated with water, and covered with
roots of different plants, which form a bad fort

of which, in the

of turf placed

lowefl: fpots, is

o-i

a

Ihaking ground.

ground, open foine decimeters
veral

places, exi*ibits

in

This

width in fe-

internally a

very loofe

mud


OF LA PEROUSE,

mud

covered with water.

5

had the pier. fiirc of

I

number of
noticed feveral new fpe-

gathering, near thcfc bogs, a great

which

plants, pnio.i,^

I

of ,a!cfo!arid and of drofera,

cies

Vv'e

t!icn

which
upwards of half a meter

wa'kcJ over

a

rich foil,

I fou!i',l
fame at
dcco thrr-u.rhout all the breadth of the valley.
t'le

The

fe":;;erature of this climate

would be highmoft of the

ly favourable to the cultivation of

vegc
made

'I^m'cs

i^

of Europe

belides,

:

a

fev.'

ditches,

proper lituations, would drain off the

up almoftall the marQies
hc!c found, and form them into a fertile foil.
At night-fail, we went towards the place of
our landing, where we favv feveral heaps of
oyiler-lhclls brought by the natives, which had
determined our fifiiermen to look for fome in
ti-.e roadftead.
At the time of low water, they
difcovered, quite clofe to it, a bank of oyllers,
of which they procured a large flock.
The
v.aici.

fo as

to dry

Hood-tide

al'^)

fpccics of

r.ivs,

brought into this bight feveral

fome of which were caught by

the fame hfliermcn.
I

emp'oyed the day of the 25th

ing and preparing
ourarrivtl

in

that

all

Rocky Bay.

had

I
I

in describ-

collecfled fincc

was afloniflK^d at

the great variety of the productions yet afford-

ed

me

by this part of

h.aj already

made

New

Holland, where

very cxacl; refearches,
B

3

I

the

yccK


VOYAGE

b

IN

SEARCH

year before, for upwards of a
indeed,

in

fpots

month

;

though,

myriamerers diftant

feveral

from thofe which we had recently vifitcd, and
in a feafon much more advanced: accordingly
I. found there a great number of plants which
had already diflippeared at the time of our for-

mer

ftay in this

We
Avith

country.

fet off the

next morning at day-break,

an intention of not rcturninsc on board for

two days, and with

a rcfolution of

extending

our refearches to a great diftance from our anchorage.
We landed to the fouth-weft, and
nearly in

made by

that

direction

the natives, where

we followed
we remarked

quite frefh jmpreflions of naked

feer,

•which were fome of very young children
families, terrified at our ftay in

a path

feveral

among

:

a

few

Rocky Bay, had

no doubt gone in fearch of another retreat,
where they thought themfelves in greater fafety.
After an hour's walk, Me flopped in a low
place, into which the waters of the neighbouring

hills ran,

and were there

cies of Icpijfpermuvi

humid
trees,

foil,

had thriven

that they

Mhlle elfewhcre

Se\eral fpefo well in this

were become very
I

tall

had found them only

of the lize of fmall Ihrubs.
lipward-s

iofl.

Some were

here

of thirty meters high, although the

body of the
meters tliick

tree \\as not
:

more than iwo deci-

one of thefc fpecies was remarkable

OF LA PEROUSE.
able on account of

7

bark, which was about

its

three centimeters thick, and compofed of a
great

number of

(heets,

fituated

one upon the

other, very eafy to feparate, and as thin as the

This fingular organiza-

fined China paper.

met with only in New Holland
it is much the fame in the eucalyptus refiniftra :
I had alfo obferved it on the fouth-weft coaft

of this fame country in two large trees, one of
tion of bark

is

which belongs

to the family of the protece^

and

the other to that of the myrti.

We

foon found a fhed

ere(fled as a fhelter

from the fouth-weil.
which appeared to have

againft the flrong breezes

We

faw near

it

a fire,

The

been recently kindled.

natives had left

there part of a branch of the fncus palmatus,

which they

eat after

having broiled

it,

as

we had

an opportunity of feeing in the fequel.

The

fouth-well wind, which had been pre-

ceded by a great

fall

of the mercury in the ba-

rometer, blew in the afternoon in impetuous
fqualls, that

ment we
Vac.

brought us fome rain

at the

South Cape.

riita tribe

A

flirub of the family

fortunately formed

flirub

of the

here lome very

thick tufts, which aiforded us excellent
this

mo-

arrived at the fea-fide, quite clofe to

fiiclter

:

was growing with vigour on thcfe

elevations, notwithllanding
B

4

it

was cxpofed to
all


VOYAGE

?

IN

SEARCH

the impetuofity of the tempediious winds

all

Avhich reign in thefc feas.
I

have given to

bcll-fliaped,

Four

this

The

viazeutoxeron.

new genus the name of

calyx

is

campanulate or

and four-toothed.

bottom of

petals are attached to the

the calyx.

The

number of

ftamina, to the

eight, are

fixed on the receptacle.

The germen

of an oval form.

is

not quite fo long as the ftamina.

The ftyle is
The ftigma

has four divilions.

The

capfule has four cells, eaph of which

is

compofed of two valves it is covered with hair.
Each cell contains from two to three feeds,
:

almoft fpherical.

The

leaves of this plant are oppofite, round-

ed, covered with a thick

down, and of

a

fawn

colour in the under part.

The

flowers are folitary, and placed at the

axilla of the leaves.
I

defignate this fhrub by the denomination of

mazeiitoxeron riifum.

Explanation of the Figures.
Fig. I.

Flaie

XVI

Branch.

Fi^. 2. Flower.

%.

3. Petal.

Fig' 4-


OF LA PEROUSS.

The

F/g. 4.

9

have been removed, in

petals

order to iliewthe ftamina.
F/V. 5.

The ilamina magnified.

6.

CfT'

Fig. 7. Capfule.

We

proceeded for a

fome

north, acrofs

down

to the

fliore,

little

time tov/ards the
before v.e went

fand-hills,

the windin^Ts of which v.e

followed, without difficuky, for a

tance

but

;

we were

<.i;reac

dif-

flopped by a per-

at length

pendicular mountain, which projectcJ into the

we in vain endeavoured to go round it;
fea
but we found it impoifible to penetrate through
:

the thickets by which

As
fleps,
let

it

was getting

was enconipalfed.

it

late,

with the intention

we meafured back our

oi"

which we had already

feeking, near a rivu-

croiTcd, a convenient

place for pafling the night.
the beft
alfo

flieltcr

covered

feftly fecure

ther

;

it

that

A

we could

tufted bulli was

there lind.

Wc

with boughs, thinkinp; to be per-

from the inclemency of the wea-

but the fouth-wcil wind blew with fuch

violence durip.g the night as to
penetrate on

all fides.

To add

make

the rain

to our misfor-

tunes, the cold was very Iharp, and forced mofr

draw near the fire, althouoh wc were
there more expofcd to the wet than in this fort
of us

to

of cabin.

As foon

as

it

was day, we quitted our uncornfortablc


VOYAGE IN SEARCH

lO

fortable quarters, and traverfed tht furround-

ing fand-hills.

I

obferved, in feveral places

which appeared to have fallen
fome of thefe heaps of fand
fteatites

in recently, that

on

refled

a hard

of a dark-gray colour, and others on

free-ftone.

I

remarked, Ihortly

alfo

after,

on

the edge of the beach, that a very large rock,

which ftood out in the fea, at no great diftance
from the coafl:, exhibited in all its points the
fame fpecies of fteatites this rock was very
:

high, and was perforated at one of

its

extremi-

ties.

The

fwell had detached,

from the bottom of

the fea, the fpunge called fpongia cancellata^

which we faw thrown up

in great quantities

on

the beach.

In the middle of thefe fand-hills grew a new
fpecies of plantain, which

I call

plantago tricu-

fpidata, on account of the Ihape of
it is

to be claffed

among

its

leaves

:

the moft ufeful plants

that this country furni flies for the fuftenance of

The hope of

finding fome vegetables,

to eat as a fallad,

had determined the moft

man.
fit

provident

among

us to bring the ingredients

neceflary for drefling that dilh

the leaves of

:

this plantain were very tender,

and the

which they afforded us was much

relilhed by all

fallad

our party.

Various graffes,

among which

I

remarked
fcveral


OF LA PBROUSE.
feveral

new

II

fpecies o^ fejluca^ fervcd to hold

A new

together the fands.

geranium, with an

herbaceous ftcm, very fmall, and with leaves
^Jtry

much

plants

indented, was in the

which

I

gathered:

of this genus that

I

it

faw in

number of

was the

the

plant

firfl:

this country.

had already perceived fome burrows dug in
the places where the fand had fufficient folidiJ foon faw a greater number of them ; but
ty
I

:

I knew not what animal had formed them,
when a middle-fized kangaroo got up on our
approach, and earthed itfelf in one of them
it was in vain that we difcharged our pieces
:

feveral times into the holes, in hopes that the

fmoke would make

it

come out

;

it ftill

remain-

ed there clofc.

Shortly after, a great
roos,

made

many

acrofs a little

tracks of kanga-

wood, roufed the ar-

dour of two fportfmen who were with us

:

prcfently difcovered, in the midcile of a

dow watered by
thefe

a

charming

rivulet,

they

mea-

feveral of

quadrupeds; not one of which, however,

would fuffer itfelf to be approached.
At length we arrived on board, the more fatigued as, for the lall forty hours, we had not
had a hngle moment's fleep.
I

cmplr.\ed the fourfoll^uingdays in vifuing

the environs of our anchoia

towards the fouth fouth-eafl,
3

I

there found,

a fine tree,

which
feemcd


VOYAGE IN SEARCH

12

feemed to me to belong

to the family

of the

judge from the difpoluioii of its
flamina, and the relinous odour of ;il! its parts
but I never was able to procure anv of its fruit,
conifers,

to

;

although

afterwards met with niany orher trees

I

of the fame fpecies: doubtlcfs the fcafon was
not yet fufliciently advanced
I

;

the fiarv.ma which

remarked on them appeared

to

have been the

production of the preceding year.

m.ention

on account of the fingularity

this tree, not only

of

I

leaves in a tree of this family, for they

Its

and deeply divided on their mar-

are broad,

gin, but alfo on account of their utility in the

making of

beer: their bitter, and at the fame

time aromatic extract, led

me

to think that

it

might be ufed like that of fpruce. The expewhich I made of it with malt, informed

rinicnt

me

that

I

was not miftaken.

This fme
nefs,

tree

is

frequently a meter in thick-

and from twenty-five to thirty meters in

height
colour,

:

its

wood

is

extremely hard, of a reddifli

and fufceptible of

a

moft

beautiful

polifn.

The

thick

forefl:s

that lay

to

north-well: of our fliips, offered to

the

my

novth-

view a

nurnlxr of trees, of middling
which grew\ery well, notwithflanaing thelhade

height,

great

fpread over

them by the enormous branches

the ciicalyplui

ot

gljl>:i!u^.
I

(hajl


OF LA PEROUSE.

IJ

give fome details refpedling a

I fliall

new ge-

nus of the family of the hyperica, which conftituted the ornament of thefe folitary places, and

which

carpodontos.

I, call

The calyx
their

has four fcariofe leaves, united

upper part;

proportion

The

thefe detach themfelves in

as the corolla

corolla

is

by

expands.

formed of four

petals, attached

under the germen.

The flamina

are

numerous, (from thirty to

forty.)

The germen
fix or

feven

is

elongated and furmountcd by

ftyles,

each of which has an acute

fligma.

The

capfule opens into fix or feven valves,

which are ligneous, fplit inwardly throughout
their whole length, and marked with two teeth
upper extremity.

at their

The
This

tree,

from eight
Its

number, and flattened.
which does not o;row hiciher than

feeds are few in

to ten meters,

leaves

lliining,

are

oval,

rather flender.

is

oppofite,

and covered with

coriaceous,

a thin coat

of relin,

which exudes from their upper part
the
back of them is whitifli their tranfverfal nerves
:

;

are fcarcely perceptible.

name of

I

have given

it

the

carPodontos hicida.

K.iphnuii!!<>}!


VOYAGE IN SEARCH

14

Plate

E.vpla nation of the Figures.
Ffo-.

I.

Fig. 2.

Branch of the carpodontos
Flower with the calyx

tached from
Fig.

3.,

Fig. 4.

its

XVIII,

lucida.

already de-

bafe.

Flower Uten

Hind

m

front.

part of the flower,

may be remarked

the calyx,

remains attached to

it

after the

which
which fometimes
in

expanfion of the

corolla.

Fig, 5. Petal.
Fig. 6.

The ftamina magnified.

Fig. 7.

Germen.

Fig. 8. Capfule.

We

had formed

February, and

tains of this part of
lites

on the

the higheft of the

New Holland:

its

ifl

of

moun-

diverfified

promifed us a great number of new pro-

du(flions.
five

a plan to go,

vifit

Each of us

carried provifions for

days, perfuaded that this time

fufficient for

would be

accomplifhing our objeft.

We fet

out very early in the morning, pretty well pro-

vided with

bifcuit,

cheefe,

fait

pork,

and

brandy, our ufual provender on thcfe diilant

excurfions.

After having travelled half of the road that

we had already followed before in going to the
South Cape, we found a vaft glade, which facilitated


OF LA PEROUSE.

I5

litated our journey to the weft ward, as far as the

foot of the mountains that
at

we had

to crofs

;

and

we penetrated into the middle of the
having now no other guide than the

length

forefts,

compafs.

Wc direded

our route to the northward, and

advanced but flowly, being obliged to over-

which were oppofed to us at
every ftep, by enormous trees heaped one upon
the other moll of them, rooted up by the tem-

come the

obftacles

:

pefl,

had raifed in their

fall

part of the foil in

which they had grown
others, fallen down

from age, were worm-eaten in every part and
:

;

frequently the lower extremity of their trunk

was fecn

ftill

upright in the midft of the pro-

digious heaps of their remains.

After an extremely laborious walk,

we

at laft

reached the fummit of a mountain, whence we
perceived, to the foDthvrard, the middle of the

roadftead

South Cape,

of the

and,

to

the

north-weft, the great mountain towards which

We were

directing our fteps.

Preferttly

the night forced us to flop.

kindled a great

foon overtook

fire,

us,

tigues of the day.

becaufe

it

Wc

near which a plcaf?nt flcep

and

refreflied us after the fa-

We

flept

in the

would have been very

us to build quickly a place

of

open

difficr.'t

llielter

in

air,

for

the

m:Jfl of thefe large trees, their branches being

dnefiv


VOYAGE

l6

IN SEARCH

chiefly lituated near their top:

beiidcs,

part of the foreH: was deflitute of fhrubs.

had

in

this

We

vain fought for fome great trunks exca-

vated by

fire

;

but thefe are to be met with only

by the natives we had
[cen a great number of them by the fea-lide,
and had remarked feveral paths made by them ;
in the places frequented

:

nothing, on the contrary, indicated to us that
they had

come

into the

middle of thefe thick

foreHs.

The

was extremely calm.

air

midnight

;

I

awoke about

and, feeing myfelf infulated amidft

thefe filent forells, of the majefly of

feeble light

glimpfe,

I

of

felt

the

flars

ftill

which the

afforded

me

a

myfelf penetrated with a fenti-

rnent of admiration at the inexprefTible grandeur

of Nature.

On

the 2d, at day-break,

fame direclion

as

we followed the

on the preceding day.

difRculties increafed

The

more and more: frequently
down one upon the

the trunks of trees, thrown
other,

formed

a

barrier almoft impenetrable,

and fubjccled us to the

neceflity of

climbing on

the mofl lofty, and of walking thus from tree
to tree, at the rifk of falling

from

a great height;

for feveral being covered with a fungous bark,

foaked by the conflant humidity which reigns
in thefe thick forefts,

tremely flippery and
I

'

afforded us but an ex-

difficult paffage.

The


OF LA PEROUSE*

when we
fummit of a mountain, whence we

The day was
reached the

I7

already far advanced,

perceived the whole extent of a very long val-

which we were yet obliged

ley,

we could arrive
we had intended

at the

;

foot of the

The

mountain

interval

which

to

vifit.

it,

appeared tobe about three

feparated us from

myriameters

to crofs before

and

this fpace

forefls as thick as that

was occupied by

through which we had

juu;

was doubtful whether we fhould not
fpend upwards of two days in attaining the ob-

paiTed.

It

wc had propofed, even on

jed:

the fuppofi-

tion that our progrefs fliould not be retarded

by

large marflies, or other obftacles impoffibie to

would have required nearly the

forefee.

It

fame time

to return

we

tion,

fliould

:

accordinjj;; to this

for three days

want of provifions

;

calcuia-

have been in

befides, thefe forcfts

did

not afford us the fmalleft means of fubfiftencc

wc

V,

ere therefore obliored to

:

renounce our pro-

jecl:.

The

great chain of mountains appeared

to

extend to a vaft diftance, in a direclion from
north-eafl: to fouth-wefl.

We

found, in the forefls which

wc had juft
that we had

t'ne fame forts of ftones
met with about the South Cape. We
faw this cape to the fouth by eaft we followed
that direction, and went to pafs the night on

traverfed,

already

:

VOL,

II.

c

the