ti4 Hljlory of Ajh'onomy for the Year iSoo* 



had proceeded from 30 to 35 leagues^ notwiihftanding the 

 delay of an hour, occafioned by a vifit from the Engli(h« 

 There is every reafon to tliink that they got clear of the 

 channel in two days. M. Belfin, who accompanied them till 

 two in the morning, was highly pleafcd with their unanimity, 

 their eagemefs, and joy. Captain Hamelin is loved and 

 efteemed by every body ; in a word, the whole of the people 

 on board le Naturalijle feemed to form only one family. 



The Board of Lono-ilude, in concert with the commif- 

 fioriers of the Inflitute, chofc for this expedition two aftro- 

 nomerSj Frederic de BilTy^ born at London May lo, 1768, 

 who had laboured in niv obftrvatory at the military fchool 

 from 1795 to 1798 5 and P. Francis Bernicr, born atRochelle 

 November 10, 1779, who, after being inflrucSled at Mon* 

 tauban under Duc-Lachapellc, laboured for eight months 

 with great fuccefs in my obfervatoty at the College de France, 

 and whb has exercifcd himfelf in nautical aftronomy with 

 great affiduity* He will foon be accuftomed to obferve on 

 board (hip ; his «eal and intelligence give me the greateft 

 hopes refpe^ling him; and I have already feen with pleafure 

 an eulogy on him in the Journal de Paris, 



This young adronomer has not forgot the care I took of 

 him :' r learn fo by reading in one of the journals, that, 

 during an entertainment given by the officers to the men of 

 fcience, when the Republic and the Navy had been drunk, 

 Bernier faid, with a tender effufion of gratitude, " To thofe 

 who have guided us in the career of fcience/* This toaft, 

 vvorlhy of his fenfibility, was received with fatisfa6tion by 

 all theguefts. 



r had propofod another aflronomcr, C* Louis Ciccolini, 



born at Macerata on the 22d of November 1767, a knight 



of Malta, who had laboured with me two years, atid feveral 



of whofe calculations I publiflied in the Connoiffunce des 



T^mps 5 but he was not a Frenchman, and this reafon feemed 



'.< d<^cilive, particularly at a time when the French were delirous 



^;0f (liowing their zeal. I in vain attempted to dcllroy this 



iSTpfejudice. fn a word, I have feen with pleafure that all the 



..three w^re exceedingly dcfirous to undertake the voyage, not- 



withllanding the dangers of every kind with which it muft 



be 



