130 PIONEERS OF SCIENCE IN AMERICA. 



chaux, and Delisse, botanists ; Bory de Saint- Vincent, zoolo- 

 gist; Milbert, Lebrun, and Gamier, artists. Forty of the best 

 seamen had deserted, and several of the officers remained on 

 the island. Many of those who left the ships had the excuse 

 of illness, but their chief reason was a sense of insecurity with 

 such a commander. Worse was to follow, for in the subse- 

 quent part of the cruise the work of the scientific exploring 

 parties was hampered by the rigid discipline of the com- 

 mander and the inadequate supplies of food and arms 

 which he furnished to them, while sickness and death afflicted 

 both the crew and the scientific corps because of his neg- 

 lect of well-known sanitary measures and the scant allow- 

 ance of water, stimulants, and sometimes food, prescribed 

 by him. 



After a stay of six weeks at Mauritius the expedition pro- 

 ceeded to Australia. While exploring this coast the ships be- 

 came separated in a gale. The Ge'ographe then visited De 

 Witt's Land and went next to Timor, where she was rejoined 

 by her consort. On this island, while pursuing a troop of 

 monkeys among the rocks which obstructed the course of the 

 River Coepang, Lesueur was bitten in the heel by a venomous 

 reptile. He was alone, at some distance from the town, but by 

 placing a ligature around the limb he was able to reach the 

 quarters of the surgeon general and obtain treatment, which 

 saved his life. 



Although the climate of Timor is very unhealthful to Eu- 

 ropeans, a stay of eighty-four days was made there. As a result 

 dysentery made frightful havoc among the crew, while among 

 the scientists the chief gardener died at the island, two zoologists, 

 a mineralogist, and another gardener only a short time after 

 leaving it. The ships at length set sail for Tasmania, which was 

 explored together with part of the southern coast of Australia. 

 The horrors of scurvy had succeeded the dysentery. A long 

 stop was made at Sydney to care for the sick and replenish 

 supplies. The Naturaliste was sent home from here and a small 

 schooner was bought to accompany the GJographe. Five 

 months were spent in further explorations of Tasmania and 

 neighbouring islands, and another stay of a month was made 

 at Timor, but dysentery caused a hurried departure. The ship 

 being in need of supplies which could not be procured in the 

 vicinity, and the commander suffering from hemorrhage, the 



