Voyage in search of La Pérouse - performed by order of the Constituent Assembly, during the years 1791, 1792, 1793, and 1794 (1800) (14778706465)

Identifier: voyageinsearchof01labi (find matches)
Title: Voyage in search of La Pérouse : performed by order of the Constituent Assembly, during the years 1791, 1792, 1793, and 1794
Year: 1800 (1800s)
Authors: Labillardière, Jacques Julien Houton de, 1755-1834
Subjects: La Pérouse, Jean-François de Galaup, comte de, 1741-1788 Entrecasteaux, Antoine Raymond Joseph de Bruni, chevalier d', 1737-1793 Voyages and travels Natural history
Publisher: London : Printed for John Stockdale
Contributing Library: University of Pittsburgh Library System
Digitizing Sponsor: Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation



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roufe ; and wefteered for the moft foutherly of the little group.L.ike moft- of the iilands in the South Seas, thisis bordered by reefs at a fmall diftance from thebeach. ■ A line of fifty toifes in length did not reachthe bottom ; although we were but 1,000 toifesfrom the land. We obferved towards the S. W. fome canoesproceeding along fhore, within the reefs; butnone of them feemed defirous of getting clear ofthe reefs, in order to come towards us. Wealfo diftinguifhed fome groups of natives, uponthe moft advanced points of land, in order thatthey might have the better view of our fhips. A large tree ftanding above the breakers, wastaken by fome for the wreck of a ihip ; but thebranches and roots which were diftind:ly feen,left no doubt that it was a tree, which had beendetached from the coaft. The Commander fent an officer on board theEfperance, to concert with the captain the re-fearches which it would be proper to make at theAdmiralty Ifiands, agreeable to the intelligence which
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July.) of la perouse. 2g7 which had been feiit us at the Cape of GoodHope. We paiTed the night in beating about, and mak-ing head againft the currents. 29th. Captain Huon waited on the General,^arly the next morning. He was of opinion,that we ihould vifit the ifiand E. N. E. of thatwe had coafted. In fad, according to one of thedepofitions which had been fent to the Com-mander of the expedition, it was on the moftcafterly ifland that the favages had been fcencloathed in the uniform of the French marine.About the middle of the day we were within2,500 toifes of that ifland, and faw fome ofthe natives, coming towards the beach. Somehuts were feen among the cocoa-nut trees. Otheriflanders foon appeared on the fouth-eaft point;and their number increafed as we approachedthem. Some canoes lay upon the fand, and wehoped to fee the natives launch them, in order tomeet us ; but they m.ade no difpofitions for thatpurpofe. As the General wilhed to have an in-terview with them, we went under the l