Expedition to New Holland. 3(J3 



After a voyage of six months he touched again at Timor, to 

 take in a supply of water, and to wait a favourable oppor- 

 tunity for entering the Gulph of Carpentaria; a minute 

 examination of which was to conclude the labours of this 

 expedition. 



During this part of the voyage, which was fortunate in 

 several respects, none of the naturalists died ; but Leschc- 

 naut, too weak to continue his researches, was obliged to 

 remain at Timor, from which he proceeded to Batavia, with 

 a view of remaining there some time and then embracing 

 an opportunity to return to Europe. Letters received from 

 him by his family announce that, his health being restored 

 by rest, he was enabled to make new botanical researches 

 at Java, and was preparing to return. 



Baudin, with his fellow-navigators, endeavoured to reach 

 the gulph which he intended to visit; but after several 

 fruitless attempts, buffeted by contrary winds, fatigued 

 with his crew by continvial labour ; deprived of his astro- 

 nomer Bemier, who died universally regretted, having been 

 able to make only a few observations and small collections 

 on different points of the northern coast, which is inacces- 

 sible ; finding sickness to prevail in his ship, and being se- 

 verely affected himself, he at length determined to proceed 

 to the Isle of France, where he arrived in Fructidor, year 11, 

 so much broken down that he soon breathed his last. 



Captain Milius was charged to carrv the ship to Europe 

 with the new collections, mcreased by some live produc- 

 tions of the Isle of France. Having touched at the Cape 

 of Good Hope, he took on board some live plants and ani- 

 mals furnished by the governor. After a fortunate passage 

 the captain was desirous to enter the Loire, from which his 

 collections might have easily been conveyed to Paris by 

 water; but being opposed by the winds, and fearing that 

 his plants might he injured by the cold, which already began 

 to be felt on approaching the coast, he was obliged to land, 

 in the month of Floreal last, at the port of L'Orieut, from 

 •whence his collections were conveyed over land j but not 

 without some loss, either in regard to the live plants or ani- 

 mals. One part of these objects, destined for her majesty 

 the empress, were carried to Malmaison ; the other was de- 

 posited in the Museum of Natural History. 



Of all the collections which have reached us from distant 

 countries at different periods, that brought by the Natu- 

 raliste and the Geographe is certainly the most considera- 

 ble, especially in regard to the animal kingdom. That of 

 the Museum has been augmented by a great number of new 



species 



