Account ofJofeph de Beaiichamp. 355 



back to Bagdad to refume his obfervations. In the month of 

 February 1795 I obtained from the Convention, through the 

 means of Greffoire, an indemnification for him; and on 

 that occafion Beauchamp faid^ " I fee that you draw upon 

 me a bill of exchange which I can pay only in Turkey. I 

 fliall therefore fet out ; but if any misfortune befalls me you 

 mull remember my devotion to vou and to aftronomy." He 

 indeed quitted, with fome degree of regret, a country and 

 family which he loved, and by which he was beloved. But 

 it was not till the 3d of March 1795 that I obtained, by the 

 aid of C. Volney, his nomination to the confulfhip of Maf- 

 cate, in Arabia. He came to Paris on the 27th of March, 

 but was obliged to proceed to Italy to procure a fliip bound 

 to Conilantinople : he encountered various impediments, and 

 in the month of April 1796 was ftill in Italy. He at length 

 fct out, went to make fome obfervations in the Archipelago, 

 and did not arrive at Conftantinople till the 22d of Novem- 

 ber 1796. Towards the end of May 1797 he undertook a 

 journey from Conltantinople to Trebifonde, which was of 

 great importance to geography, as he rectified the charts of 

 the Black Tea, which were exceedingly erroneous. On the 

 9xh of December the fame year he returned from the Black 

 lea, and made preparations for proceeding to Mafcate ; but 

 the war rendered this vovage dangerous and ufelefs. 



In the month of March 1798 Tie was fent lo Egvpt till he 

 could find an opportunity of proceeding to Mafcate, and, to- 

 wards the conclufion of that year, oficred to Bonaparte to go 

 as a negotiator for peace to Conftanlinople; but he was ar- 

 refled as well as ail the other French, and remained three 

 years in confinement. 



Being at length fet at liberty, in confequence of the peace, 

 he quitted Conftantinople on the 23d of September 1801, 

 though ftill indifpofed, and had feareely arrived at Nice 

 when he expiied on the 19th of November. A few days be- 

 fore, he l)ad been appoint(d by the firft conful commiflary- 

 general at Lifbon; and he lived long enough to learn that 

 this difliuguidicd mark of favour had been conferred upon 

 him. 



Few men have employed tlie fliort courfc of human life 

 lo fo much purpofe. B^'auchanip polKnid knowledge and 

 merit of various kinds: the duties of relitrion were not neg- 

 IcAed by this pIiil;)foj)her, and the congregation of the I'ro- 

 aganda at Rome tcltified its latisfai:tion with the zeal Jje 

 ad difplayed in his apoliolic functions. I requeued his 

 uncle 10 endeavour to procure for him the rcvcriion of his 

 LiHiopric, which he promif.-J to do; but he died in 179S in 

 /'. J thf 



I 



