which usually prevail in those latitudes. Accordingly, at the end of twenty days, beating about to little purpose, he discovered his errour, and saw that it would be impossible. for him to reach Timor, as he had intended by that route, on account of the monsoon. The same reflection, he tells us, occurred precisely at the same moment, to M. Huon, the commander of L'Espérance. They agreed, therefore, to stand back to the southward and shape a course for the islands of St. Paul and Amsterdam; and from thence round the southern extremity of Van Diemen's land. Here we cannot avoid remarking, that Dentrecasteaux appears not only to have shown a want of decision, ill suited to the character with which he was invested, but the want of skill also as a navigator, by which nearly a month was lost, in point of time; and what is infinitely. more important, several months of wear and tear were completely sacrificed without an adequate object. On the 28th of March, they perceived the island of St. Paul (which M. Rossel thinks proper to call Amsterdam.) "The summit of this island," says M. Dentrecasteaux, "of which I was desirous to fix the position that had not yet been determined, was enveloped in clouds, which, on a nearer approach, we perceived to consist of thick smoke, from whence flame was presently observed to issue. This conflagration, on uninhabited land, gave rise to a conjecture among some of us, that it might be a signal, made by some unfortunate persons who had esca ped from shipwreck to this island, to ask for assistance. It was obvious, however, that the mass of fire was too considerable, to suppose it had commenced only on the first appearance of the ships." p. 41. Passing within four cable's length of the island, they observed the strata of rock to be exactly parallel and horizontal, and concluded that an organization so regular could not proceed from a volcanick origin; yet, jets of smoke were emitted from the crevices between the strata. "These jets," he observes," showing themselves at intervals, appeared to our naturalists as almost infallible indications of subterranean fire." Nothing can be more unsatisfactory than this account. The smoke and fire which enveloped this island were either natural or artificial. If natural, it would have been highly curious and desirable to examine the structure of this little point thrown up in the midst of the ocean, and detect nature in the very act, as it were, of carrying on one of her most magnificent operations. If artificial, the probability was, that it had been lighted by some unhappy persons who had escaped shipwreck, to be consumed, perhaps, in the very fire they had kindled with the view of pointing out their miserable situation, or to perish by the slow and lingering process of famine. It is true, they could not be the people he was in quest of; yet it might be supposed that a kindred sympathy for others, in like distress, would have induced him to send a boat on shore. He did no such thing; but got out of the cloud of smoke as fast as he could, which was not, he tells us, until they were five leagues distant from the island. The only information we have of this island is contained in the "Authentick Account of the Embassy to China," which was collected from a seal-catcher on the neighbouring island of Amsterdam. This man says it is covered with frutescent plants, and that the shore abounds with pumice stone. He made no mention of any appearance of fire, natural or artificial, though his visit to it was only six months after it had been passed by M. Dentrecasteaux. We have observed that M. Rossel has thought fit to call this island Amsterdam. It may be proper for us, before we proceed farther, to state, that we have been favoured with the opportunity of comparing his book with the original manuscript of Dentrecasteaux, wherein it is distinctly stated, that" conformably with the English charts, we have called it St. Paul," which passage M. Rossel has completely falsified, by saying that they did not conform themselves to the English charts, but followed the appellation as given by the Dutch. Had it merely depended on the insertion or exclusion of the negative particle, we should willingly have ascribed it to an errour of the press; but there could be no mistake in his altering the words St. Paul for Amsterdam. Trifling as this alteration may appear, we have no doubt that M. Rossel was ordered to make it by some of those minions of the French government who direct the press; and that as far as his authority extended, as he tells us in his preface: "La relation du voyage a été redigé d'après le Journal même du ContreAmiral Dentre casteaux, écrit en entier de sa propre main." Be it remembered, however, that he had only a copy of the original journal. We are the more inclined to this opinion of his not being a free agent, as in some other places, we observe he has been obliged to soften down the praise bestowed by the vice-admiral on captain Cook, captain Bligh, and other English navigators. In general, however, it is but justice to say that he has been faithful to his original. On the 20th of April, they arrived in the bay of Storms, on the southeast point of Van Diemen's land, on the north side of which the frigates anchored in a harbour called by them Port du Nord, and which is described as being safe and commodious, the water smooth in the worst of weather, and the surrounding shores beautifully covered with forest trees. at every step, reunited to the beauties of unmolested nature, one meets with traces of her decrepitude, trees of vast height, and bulky in proportion, without a branch along the trunk, but their summits crowned with evergreen foliage, some of them appearing as ancient as the globe; so interlaced and so close as to be impenetra ble, they act as supporters to other trees of equal dimensions, but tottering with age, and fertilizing the earth on which they grow by their ruins reduced to a state of corruption." p. 54. In those magnificent forests the naturalists discovered several new species of plants and birds, all of which, we imagine, with other subjects of natural history, have been described by M. Labillardiére, whose book has not yet come under our observation. A great number of the largest trees had their trunks hollowed out, apparently by means of fire, and were intended as huts to shelter the natives from the inclemency of the weather. One of these, at the height of a man from the ground, measured 25 feet 8 inches in circumference. The hollow side invariably faced the east, which is, generally, the quarter towards which the strong winds blow. Captain Cook met with the same kind of hollow trees at Adventure Bay, not many leagues distant from the same place. No natives made their appearance, but, "One of the naturalists found some bones, which he concluded to belong to the body of a very young girl. They were discovered among the ashes of one of the places apparently used by the natives for of broiled flesh were attached to these cooking their victuals. Some fragments bones. A fact, thus isolated without other indications, especially among a people of such simple manners, is not sufficient to authorize conjectures so reproachful to human nature, sinking it below the most ferocious beasts of prey, which at least spare their own species. May we not rather conclude, from this one fact, that these savages are in the habit of consuming by fire, the last remains of the human body?" "In vain should I attempt to describe the sensations with which the first appear ance of this solitary harbour inspired me, placed as it is at the extremity of the earth, and closed in so completely, that one might there consider one's self as shut out from the rest of the world; every thing partakes Here again we find the vice admiof the wilderness of rude creation; here, ral indulging in vague conjecture, p. 78. on grounds so very slight as in no degree to warrant either of the conclusions drawn by him; indeed it is by no means clear that Mons. le Naturaliste did not mistake the bones of a kangaroo for those of a young girl. While the frigates continued in this bay, a discovery was made of a passage between Van Diemen's island and the islands to the southward of it; which, though of little importance to the general interests of navigation, since the discovery of Bass's Straits, furnishes a secure and commodious anchorage for ships in need of such a retreat. They gave it the name of Canal de Dentrecasteaux, and it is thus described. "A navigator can never be accused of exaggeration in betraying a sort of enthusiasm at the sight of an anchorage prolonged to the extent of 24 miles, equally safe in every part of it; where not a rock Occurs; where he may let go the anchor without the least hesitation; and where the shores may be approached within a cable's length without any danger; where the surrounding aspect is, moreover, highly delightful, though appearing monotonous at first sight from the uniform verdure of the trees, with which all the hills, piled on each other, are clothed, from the summit of the most elevated down to the wa ter's edge; but varied, nevertheless, by the many picturesque retreats formed by the sinuosities of the numberless bays of this channel, and by the rivulets falling into them; the latter, however, confined to the shores of the main land. At a season so far advanced, and in a gulf which bears so menacing a name [Storm Bay] a discovery of such an anchorage is calculated to procure to a seaman, a luxury which, to be able to express, must have been felt." p. 100. On each side of this channel a few natives were occasionally seen, and among others a woman appeared with a covering over her breasts, &c. This object immediately produces another conjecture from the admiral, namely, that the concealment was rather the effect of the severity of the weather, than of any idea she had of decency; and he draws this VOL. IV. U conclusion from captain Cook's having described the natives of Adventure Bay as going entirely naked. Having lost nearly a whole month at this place, for we really are not able to discover an adequate object to detain them so long, they set sail on the 28th of May, and on the 16th of June made the island of Pines on the southern extremity of New Caledonia. From hence to the northern extremity we are assured that they examined with minute attention, every point along the western coast; standing in with both frigates close to the reef of coral rock, which is stated to bind the whole extent of the island, or islands, as it were, with an uninterrupted chain, whose edge rising to the surface of the sea, shows, even in the calmest weather, a silvery, rippling line, far as the eye can reach; thus warning the adventurous navigator of the dangers that surround him. Not only here, but in almost every part of the Pacifick that indicates them, occur. The unocean, these dangers, and the line broken reef of New Caledonia would not allow even their boats to pass to the shore, and as they saw neither natives nor canoes, it was presumed that it might equally prevent their coming out, and thus contribute to that mildness of character, which captain Cook had described the natives on the opposite side to possess. The admiral, however, adds, that being in latitude 22° 4' S. they did see an opening in the reef, but that on approaching close to it, they observed the sea breaking with violence within a creek, to which on that account they gave the name of Le Havre Trompeur. This was rather an unfortunate appellation; for had they examined it with that attention which is required from navigators sent on voyages of discovery, they would have found the Havre Trompeur to be one of the most beautiful and extensive harbours, perhaps, in the world, for the discovery of which we are indebt ed to captain Kent of the Buffalo, who in 1803 anchored there for some time. "This beautiful and extensive harbour," says captain Kent, "is formed by islands, many of them of considerable size, which are about four miles within the coral reef that extends (excepting a few breaks) along the whole S. W. side (of New Caledonia) distant off shore from 4 to 8 miles, but considerably more from the north and south ends, where the land is out of sight when close in with the reef. The reef is level with the water's edge, and towards the sea as steep too as the wall of a house. We sounded frequently within twice the ship's length of it with a line of 150 fathoms, without being able to get bottom." Captain Kent's Journal. To this harbour captain Kent has given the name of Port St. Vincent, and from the mean of several observations, has laid it down as follows: Latitude 22°,0', 10'S. longitude 165°, 55', 20", E. He describes the passage into it as three quarters of a mile in width, the anchorage well sheltered, the water perfectly smooth, the depth 12 fathoms down to four, the bottom muddy. "During our six weeks stay," says captain Kent, "we were visited by many of the natives, bringing fish, yams, sugar. canes, spears, clubs, and fishing-nets, neatly made, the whole of which they were happy to exchange for such things as might be offered. Red or scarlet cloth was what particularly struck their fancy. Iron they knew not the use of, consequently showed no inclination to possess it. On the whole they were a superiour race of black people, answering the description given by captain Cook of the inhabitants of Balade on the N. E. side of the island." Captain Kent's Journal. The vice admiral laments that he was prevented by the breakers on the uninterrupted line of coral reef, from landing the naturalists on this coast of New Caledonia, hitherto unknown to Europeans. We could have wished that in this dilemma he had employed them in examining what has never yet been done, the structure, at different depths, of those wall-sided fabricks, whose perpendicular columns are supposed to descend to the very bed of the ocean, "deeper than did ever plummet sound," and in endeavouring to trace the history of those insignificant beings, whose means appear to us so inadequate to the end, and whose stupendous productions extend for thousands of miles, and cover millions of acres of the Pacifick ocean, finally becoming the bases or foundations of new islands. This is a subject on which we are nearly destitute of information; and it is to be lamented that the French naturalists should have lost so many occasions, in the present voyage, of directing their particular inquiries into the nature and composition of coral rock, and of the marine worms by which they are supposed to be constructed. Leaving New Caledonia, and the line of breakers which extends fifty leagues to the N. W. far out of sight of any land, the vice admiral passed on the 9th July the Eddystone rock, discovered by lieutenant Shortland, which is stated to be incorrectly laid down by that officer. According to their observations, its latitude is 8° 18' S. long. 154° 10′ 38′′ E. of Paris. The following day they fell in with the Treasury islands, and passed close to Bougainville's island on the northwestern extremity of the group of Solomon's islands, all of them surrounded by reefs of coral rock. Some of the natives crossed the line of breakers in their canoes, one of which, from her size, was supposed to be a vessel of war; having forty men on board, all, except sixteen, armed with bows and arrows, which they offered in exchange for mirrors, nails, and bits of iron: but nothing was coveted by them with such avidity as red cloth. They were entirely naked; their hair black and frizzled; their faces and bodies painted; and they had every appearance of being a savage and ferocious race of men. Their features, how ever, relaxed on hearing some lively tunes on the violin. They still continue to answer the description long since given of them by Bougainville. From the 17th to the 24th of July the frigates remained at anchor in Carteret Bay, New Ireland, where incessant torrents of rain prevented the navigators from making a single observation either of the sun or stars. Keeping the track of captain Carteret, through St. George's Channel, on the 29th July they reached Vendola, one of the Admiralty islands, which was supposed to be near to the spot where the depositions stated the traces of the ships of La Pérouse to have been seen. Observing some natives, who showed no inclination to come off to the ships, a boat was sent on shore. The inhabitants now flocked to the beach in great numbers. The air of confidence with which they advanced, and their open and pleasing countenances, were highly prepossessing. They offered various ornaments, and even their arms, in exchange for trinkets of different kinds and pieces of red cloth, all of which, however, they received with apparent indifference; but when a nail was shown to them, they manifested extreme anxiety to get possession of it. Many of them had strings of shells round their waists, which the admiral supposes might have been mistaken by the Dutch ship for French belts, while the colour of their skins might have given the idea of French uniforms. So credulous is man in believing what he wishes to be true, that even themselves thought they perceived, long before they came near enough to see objects distinctly, men covered with red cloth: and the branches and roots of a tree, tumbling about in the breakers on the edge of the reef, were at once converted into the wreck of La Pérouse's ships; "tant on aime le merveilleux, et tant on est disposé à le saisir avec avidité !" "These islanders," he observes, "cover their private parts with a shell. I know not cocoanut Having satisfied themselves that not the least trace of the ships or crew of La Pérouse was discoverable among the Admiralty islands; they stood away for the Negro islands of Morelle, which they observed to be covered with trees. Numbers of canoes appeared on every side among the reefs and small islands, all seemingly employed in fishing. Some of them came off to the frigates, and were anxious to procure knives, nails, and iron of any kind, for which they offered in exchange different sorts of ornaments, arms, and even the shells which covered their nakedness. They appeared to be, in all respects, the same happy, cheerful, and contented people as those of the Admiralty islands. We cannot approve of an experiment made by the admiral "to excite the admiration" of this unsuspecting people, by causing a musket to be fired; and still less the childish trick of placing a lighted candle in a paper lantern and setting it afloat on a plank, which, as the ship receded, appeared to approach them, and caused so much affright that they speedily withdrew and dis appeared altogether: and we most cordially agree with him "that he ought to have spared them this cause of alarm, which could only tend to create distrust." Passing Los Ermitanos, the Thousand isles of Morelle, and numberless rocks and islands bound together by reefs of coral, they arrived, on the 17th August, on the coast of New Guinea. In standing through Dampier's straits, they observed a large proa bearing a flag; but the |