1^8 P A P U A N I S L A N D S. 



He had the double hazard of falling into the hands of the Dutch, 

 or perifliing by the fary of the wild natives ; but the firft he 

 fortunately efcaped; and by his own prudent and conciliating 

 behavior (added to his having a crew^ entirely Indian^ excepting 

 two), he failed not only unmolefted, but even befriended, by 

 thcfe apparent barbarians. 

 GiB3Y. The moft weftern of thefe iflands is Gibby, under the equator, 



to the fouth-eaft of Patany Hook, and about fix leagues diftant. 

 Its length is four or five leagues, its breadth fmall, and its ap- 

 pearance like two hills divided by a low ifthmus, and full of in- 

 VisiTED BY habitants. The French, actuated by the laudable fpirit of im- 

 proving their colonies by the introduction of nutmeg trees, made 

 more than one voyage for the procuring that valuable fpice. 

 The firft was in the year 1769, in which the celebrated natu- 

 ralift M- Sonnerat, and the more celebrated philofopher M. Le 

 Poivre, embarked and failed from the ille of Frmice. They ftu- 

 diouily concealed the names of the illands they vifited, and the 

 means they ufed to accomplilli the ends of their miffion. M. Son- 

 nerat went a fecond time, in 177 1 ; has publiflied the account of 

 his voyage, but has given us only a defcription of the more cu- 

 rious birds, and of the Papuans, the natives of the ifles, and 

 of NrtV Guinea. The French touched at the ifland of Gibby, 

 which they call Giveby. During their ftay there they were vifited 

 by the rajah or prince of Patany, the fultan of Tidor, and even 

 received an embaffy from one whom they ftiied the emperor of 

 Salwatty. They were moll refpedfully treated by thefe poten- 

 tates ; and by the friendfhip of the prince of Patany, obtained 

 the objed of the voyage. They carried forty thoufand nutmeg 

 2 trees 



