223 



mittee consists of Dr. La Roche, Prof. Coppee and Dr. Le 

 Conte. 



In a brief introduction, Mr. Durand enumerated the claims of sci- 

 entific explorers to the admiration and gratitude of mankind, he por- 

 trayed them as deserting their native land and family affections, for 

 the sole object of advancing sciences and benefitting their fellow be- 

 ings, by adding to the wealth they already possessed, the useful pro- 

 ductions which they procured for them from foreign and unexplored 

 regions; he pointed out the fatigues and inconveniences to which 

 those devoted men expose themselves, in order to attain their object ; 

 he showed them wending their way through inextricable forests, 

 through pestilential marshes and grounds yet untrodden by the human 

 foot, struggling and panting under the rays of a burning sun, or shi- 

 vering under heavy showers of rain, and constantly exposed to dan- 

 ger of every sort. He then entered upon the particulars of the life 

 and labours of the subject of his memoir. 



Francois Andre Michaux was born in 1770, at Satory, a royal 

 domain situated near Versailles. He was the son of Andre Michaux, 

 one of the pioneers of botanical explorations in North America, and 

 accompanied him to this country, when only fifteen years of age. He 

 remained four years with his father, assisting him in his journey, and 

 at the Charleston Nursery. In consequence of an accident, through 

 which his sight was injured, his father sent him back to France, 

 which he reached just at the breaking out of the revolution. 



In the year 1800, young Michaux was studying medicine, with the 

 view of returning to the United States, and devoting himself to the 

 healing art, but, animated by the example of his father, and con- 

 vinced his efforts, employed in other directions, could afford more 

 benefit to mankind, he solicited a commission to return to North 

 America, in order to achieve the work of usefulness, left unfinished 

 by the departure of his father. 



This commission he received at last, in 1801, from Mr. De Chap- 

 tal, then minister of the interior, with various instructions which he 

 faithfully fulfilled. After visiting Charleston, New York and Phila- 

 delphia, he started on a voyage to the States of Kentucky and Ten- 

 nessee, whence he returned to Charleston through the range of moun- 

 tains which separates the latter State from that of South Carolina. He 

 had travelled over 1800 miles in three months and a half. After so- 

 journing eighteen months in this country, jMichaux returned to France 



