Hocken. — Early Visits of the French to New Zealand. 143 



lished in 1783, and is of great rarity. It was edited by the 

 Abbe Kochon, who, whilst a cleric, was also an accomplished 

 geographer and extensive traveller ; he should, indeed, have 

 formed one of this unfortunate expedition. The work was well 

 translated, edited, and illustrated seventeen years ago by Mr. H. 

 Ling Roth, who, unfortunately, omits the quaint plates and 

 charts of the original (seven in number), the preface by the 

 Abbe Rochon, and also his important appendix relative to 

 De Surville. The omission is difficult to explain, though from 

 the preface there seems to be some perplexity or doubt in Mr. 

 Roth's mind as to whether there was more than one original 

 edition. This difficulty, however, was laid to rest in a review 

 by the present writer, written upon the appearance of Roth's 

 translation. It will be observed that these voyages date about 

 and shortlv after Cook's first voyage and discovery of New 

 Zealand in "l 769-70. 



The next of our visitors to these coasts were the members 

 of that interesting expedition sent out by the French Govern- 

 ment in 1791 to search fo>r their lost navigator, La Perouse, 

 of whom, it will be remembered,* no tidings whatever had been 

 received after his departure from Botany Bay in March, 1788. 

 The vessels of the expedition were the " Recherche " and " Espe- 

 rance," under the command of Captains Bruny Dentrecasteaux 

 and Huon Kermadec. These names will be recognised in con- 

 nection with the Huon pine, the Kermadec and Recherche 

 Islands, and Dentrecasteaux Straits. Two or three days in 

 March, 1793, were spent off the north coast of New Zealand 

 in intercourse with the Natives, but, remembering the fatal 

 disasters that had befallen Marion, no attempt was made at 

 landing, and the vessels passed on to Tongatabu. The history 

 of this voyage was written by Labillardiere, the celebrated 

 naturalist. It was he who first brought to Europe plants of 

 the New Zealand flax, which he successfully cultivated and 

 experimented on with regard to the comparative strength of 

 its fibre. It may be added that though the quest of the ex- 

 pedition was extensive, and extended over two years, no clue 

 whatever was found of La Perouse's missing vessels, the " Astro- 

 labe " and " Boussole." The mystery that for forty years, 

 had enveloped them like an impenetrable cloud was dissipated 

 by a countryman of our own, Captain Dillon, an old ship-captain, 

 who nearly a century ago plied amongst the Pacific islands, 

 and had an intimate knowledge of the New Zealand wild life 

 of that date. Following up the slight traces of a few glass beads, 

 buttons, and ornaments, he discovered in 1827 the undoubted 

 fate of La Perouse, and the wreck of his vessels, which occurred 

 at Vanikoro, the southernmost island of the Santa Cruz group. 



