32 Geography. [Chap. V. 



as was also the celebrated vovagc of lord An- 

 son, undertaken principally for warlike purposes, 

 about the same time *. When his present majesty 

 came to the crown, the same zeal for geogra- 

 phical discovery continued and increased. The de- 

 lusive hope of finding a great Southern Continent, 

 which had so long filled the minds of the learned, 

 presented an inviting object both to his love of 

 science and his love of glory and aggrandisement. 

 Accordingly captains Byron, Wallis, and Carteret, 

 were successively dispatched, with orders to sail 

 round tlie world, and to explore with particular 

 care the Southern Ocean. The Terra AustraUs in-- 

 cognila, so fondly sougbt, continued to elude the 

 search of these enterprising commanders ; but they 

 returned laden with much valuable knowledge of 

 the numerous islands which they had discovered, 

 and of other coasts and shores which they had 

 viewed, and which were but partially known to 

 preceding adventurers. 



Among the voyages which have contributed to 

 the improvement of geography, that wdiich was 

 performed, by order of the French king, in 1771 

 and 177^--% by Messrs. de Verdun dc la Crenne, of 

 the Academy of the Marine at Brest, de Borda, 

 member of the Royal Academy of Sciences, &c., 

 and Pingre, chancellor of the university of Paris, 

 ought not to be omitted. Though the primary 

 objects of this voyage were the making experi- 

 ments on certain Tbne-kcepcrs of le Itoy and Ber- 



* The account of Anson's voyage, which is well drnwn, was 

 said to be executed by Dr. Walters, a gentleman wlio accom- 

 panied his lordshij) as chnplain ; but tic real compiler of the nar- 

 rative was Mr. Benjamin Robins. 



