.8 INTRODUCTION TO 



visited by Davis*; then, between 14 41/ and 

 15 47' South latitude, and between the longitude of 

 142 and 150 West, fell in with several other islands, 

 which I take to be some of those seen by the late 

 English navigators. He next discovered two 

 islands in latitude 15 South, longitude 170 West, 

 which he called Baumen's islands; and, lastly, 

 Single island, in latitude 13 41/ South, longitude 

 171 30' West. These three islands are, undoubt- 

 edly, the same that Bougainville calls the Isles of 

 Navigators. 



In 1738, the French East India Company sent 

 Lozier Bouvet with two ships, the Eagle and Mary, 

 to make discoveries in the South Atlantic Ocean. 

 He sailed from Port L' Orient on the 19th of July, 

 in that year ; touched at the island of St. Cath- 

 arine ; and from thence shaped his course towards 

 the S. E. 



On the 1st of January, 1739, he discovered land, 

 or what he judged to be land, in the latitude 

 54 South, longitude 11 East. It will appear in the 

 course of the following narrative, that we made 

 several attemps to find this land without success. It 

 is, therefore, very probable, that what Bouvet saw 

 was nothing more than a large ice-island. From 

 hence he stood to the East, in 51 of latitude, to 

 35 of East longitude : after which the two ships 

 separated ; one going to the island of Mauritius, and 

 the other returning to France. 



After this voyage of Bouvet, the spirit of discovery 

 ceased, till his present Majesty formed a design of 

 making discoveries, and exploring the Southern 

 Hemisphere ; and, in the year 17^4, directed it to be 

 put in execution. 



Accordingly, Commodore Byron, having under his 

 command the Dolphin and Tamer, sailed from the 

 Downs on the 21st of June the same year ; and hav 



* See Wafer's Description of the Isthmus of Darien. 



