M. FRANCOIS PERON. 29 



where they remained five months. There Feron, 

 after examining his collections, devoted himself to 

 the study of its fish and Mollusca ; and, notwith- 

 standing the exertions of preceding Naturalists, ne 

 collected many new species. After this, they re- 

 mained a month at the Cape, where he improved 

 the time by making the first accurate examination 

 of the singular conformation of a tribe of the Hot- 

 tentots, known by the name of Bushmen, many of 

 whom happened at the time to be at the Cape. 



Finally, after an absence of three years and a 

 half, he landed at L'Orient in April 1 804, and im- 

 mediately proceeded to Paris. He was there en- 

 gaged for several months in arranging the specimens, 

 and preparing the catalogue, after which they were 

 all deposited in the Museum. Peron then hastened 

 to Cerilly, to visit his mother and sisters. The 

 exhausted state of his health, arising from his long 

 continued fatigue, and still more from the nascent 

 germ of that disease, which was even now working 

 in his frame, made repose absolutely necessary; and, 

 happy in finding himself in the bosom of his family, 

 after having done good service, he thought little on 

 the recompence of his labours. He soon, however, 

 heard that some were endeavouring to persuade the 

 government that the grand objects of the expedition 

 had failed ; and this immediately brought him to 

 Paris to refute the calumnious imputation. He 

 visited the Minister of Marine, and, with him, found 

 M. de Fleurieu, and several other savants. Before 

 them all, in a modest and respectful tone, but at the 



