AUSTRALASIA. 



127 



Austral- 

 anas 



1700-1810. 



Vancouver, 



Labillar- 

 dierc. 



among the discoveries . of modern navigators. Nor 

 should this occasion our regret, because, in claim- 

 ing the credit of priority to his countrymen, M. Fleu- 

 rieu has rendered essential services to the geography 

 of Australasia. 



In the year 1791, Captain Vancouver explored 110 

 leagues of the south-west coast of New Holland ; 

 where he discovered King George's Sound, and some 

 clusters of small islands. The former lies in latitude 

 35 5' S. and in 118 17' E. longitude. Mr Brough- 

 ton, who commanded another vessel on the same ex- 

 pedition, discovered a fertile and delightful island, 

 situated in S. latitude 43 49', and 183 25' E. lon- 

 gitude, which he called Chatham Island. The hos- 

 tility of the natives, who were of a brown colour, 

 middling size, and stoutly made, prevented more mi- 

 nute investigation. 



A late voyage by the French in search of their un- 

 fortunate countryman La Perouse, has also thrown 

 much light on those distant regions. Two vessels, 

 the Recherche and Esperance, sailed from France in 

 September 1791, fully stored with all that was most 

 likely to ensure the safety and success of the under- 

 taking. In April 1792, they came within the limits 

 of Australasia, and were some time occupied in ob- 

 servations on Van Diemen's Land, when they thought 

 the south cape was separated from the main land : they 

 also discovered a great harbour which they called 

 Port D'Entrecasteaux. They next saw the Isle of 

 Pines, which had received its name from high rocky 

 elevations resembling trees at a distance, and laid 

 down its position in 22 42' S. latitude. They then 

 ran along an immense chain of reefs extending 324 

 miles on the coast of New Caledonia, which, in the 

 view of the French navigators, presented a more in- 

 viting aspect than the original country of that name. 

 Their attention was directed to the south-west coast, 

 Captain Cook having surveyed the land only to the 

 north ; and, in the course of their examination, they saw, 

 many mountainous islands, and detached rocks, with 

 their points above water, encircled by dangerous reefs. 

 The difference was no more than 4' between the 

 position of New Caledonia as fixed by Cook and 

 themselves. In July 1792, they saw the lands of the 

 Arsacides, and ascertained the Treasury Islands to 

 be five or six in number, or more, though when seen 

 from a distance, they may be mistaken for only one. 

 They lie in 7 25' S. latitude. The natives of Bou- 

 ka Island trafficked for articles on board, parting 

 with their arms for handkerchiefs and pieces of cloth. 

 They were of a gay and lively disposition, and the 

 French remarked, that they pronounced several Spa- 

 nish and English words. The possibility of some 

 intercourse with Europeans was thence inferred, and 

 they shewed themselves acquainted with the use of 

 iron. The French landed on Cocos island, and Laig, 

 near the coast of New Ireland ; in the former they 

 found a tree nearly a hundred feet high, though but 

 three inches in diameter : and so hard as at first to resist 

 the heaviest blows of an axe. What is still more sin- 

 gular, when the pith occupying its centre was taken 

 out, the thickness of the wood did not exceed four- 

 tenths of an inch. The French then anchored in 

 Carteret harbour, in New Ireland, which is surround- 

 ed by lofty and precipitous mountains, containing 



1700-1810. 



marine substances up to the very summit. This har- Austral- 

 bour forms a kind of basin, where clouds coming from 

 the mountains are arrested by a calm, and there de- 

 posit their contents ; which is the real source of the 

 rains experienced by navigators. Sailing thence to 

 the Admiralty islands, the situation of several places 

 was determined in the way. A friendly intercourse 

 was opened with the natives, who shewed a great de- 

 sire to possess European articles. Oneislandbeingcul- 

 tivated to the highest part, and pieces being inclosed 

 with fences, they were led to believe that the natives 

 were acquainted with the right of property in land. 

 A mountainous island occupied the centre of the 

 whole groupe, and the same was the case with the 

 Hermit isles, thirteen in number, which were next 

 visited. The inhabitants of these and other islands 

 manifested excellent dispositions : their chiefs punish- 

 ed dishonestytowardstheirvisitors,and theyapproach- 

 ed the vessels unprovided with arms. Nearly under 

 the line a number of other islands were discovered, all 

 connected by chains of reefs, low, and covered by 

 lofty trees, growing quickly and vigorously. After 

 navigating among them, the vessels sailed to the Pa- 

 puan islands, the situation of several of which was de- 

 termined. In the subsequent year, 1793, the French 

 made Lewin's land on the coast of New Holland, 

 where they found that the latitudes had been ascer- 

 tained with remarkable precision by its first discover- 

 ers. Many small islands were seen, which had not 

 been previously visited ; and having traversed several 

 degrees on the south-west, they anchored in Port 

 D'Entrecasteaux, as they had done in the preceding 

 year. The accurate and interesting remarks then 

 made on the natural history of the country, and dis- 

 position of the inhabitants, will be found at large in 

 the works which contain them. The French next sail- 

 ed for New Zealand, and fixed the latitude of the 

 Three King's Islands at 34 20' south ; they were 

 particularly desirous of obtaining the New Zealand 

 flax, from supposing that 'it would succeed in Europe, 

 but they did not put their design in execution. An 

 island discovered in 29 20' S. latitude, near the coast, 

 of a triangular figure, was called Recherche. Preci- 

 pices were seen in the interior, and trees growing on 

 the summit of the highest places. It is one of the 

 most eastern islands of Australasia. Some time af- 

 terwards the French got sight of Erronan, the most eas- 

 tern of the New Hebrides, and made the island of Tan- 

 na, where they enjoyed a brilliant spectacle arising 

 from the vivid flames emitted during the night by the 

 volcano. Having made new Caledonia, their observa- 

 tions were resumed, and circumstances led them to 

 conclude, that this coast had been fatal to their coun- 

 trymen. Besides the natives, they saw here several 

 savages of other parts, acquainted with the use of 

 iron, and much more intelligent, whom they conjec- 

 tured to have come from the island of Beaupre, dis- 

 covered during their voyage hither in 20 14' S. lati- 

 tude. From New Caledonia the French repaired to 

 the Arsacides, and then passing Louisiade, as already 

 mentioned, steered for the coast of New Britain, 

 where they discovered several mountainous islands 

 before unknown. The navigation of the western 

 coast was replete with danger. Keeping to the 

 north, they anchored at the island of Waygiou, cal- 



