Voyages and Travels. 2B1 



perilous. Captain Lewis, to whom I have intrusted it, 

 possesses all the knowledge in anatomy requiste to fulfil 

 that part ; and though he is not absolutely a regular bo- 

 lanistj zoologist or mineralogist, he has observed so exactly 

 the natural productions of this country, that he will not 

 lose his time in noting down things with which we are 

 already acquainted. He will attend to those only which 

 are new in that part of the world. In particular, he will 

 give us an account of its animals. This expedition, con- 

 sisting of about twelve persons, will probably return about 

 the end of 160.^. 



" I hope to be able next summer to send other travellers 

 towards the principal branches of the Missisipi and the 

 Missouri, the Red River to Arcansa, Padoruas, and the 

 river Missisipi itself. The objects of these expeditions will 

 be the same as those of that intrusted to Captain Lewis, 

 They will require the same space of time, that is to say, 

 two years. Sever tl of these rivers extend 1000 or 1200 

 miles inland, reckoning from their sources, and into regions 

 which have never been visited by white men. It would 

 give me great pleasure if these travels should procure us 

 materials tor enlarging the boundaries of our knowledge, 

 and give to our elder brethren in science a tribute of 

 our gratitude for the information they have communicated 

 to us." 



Dr. Goldfuss, of Erlangen, will set out in the course of 

 the present spring, on his travels in Africa ; the expenses 

 of which will be defrayed by the King of Prussia. He will 

 remain a year at the Cap ■, and in the two following years 

 will endeavour to peneirate as far as possible into the 

 country, both on the eastern and western coast. 



The Russian ships now on a voyage of discovery, of which 

 some account has already been given in the Philosophical 

 Magazine, have sailed from Kamtckatka in order to pro- 

 ceed to Japan, 



An embassy is about to be sent by the Russian govern- 

 ment to China. The choice of the persons who are to com- 

 pose it is completed. Among those who are to accompany 

 Count Golof kin in this mission arc Schubert, the astrono- 

 mer; General Suchtelcn, as historiographer ; and Ruttoflsky, 

 as botanist and landscape painter. Mr. Schubert's son, an 

 officer of engineers, forms also a part of the ambassador's 

 suite. Great advantages, both in a commercial and scien- 

 tific point of view, are expected from this embassy. 



ANTiaUITIES. 



