2^2 VOYAGE IN SEARCH 



On our arrival on board wc learnt that feveral 

 perfons belonging ro the Efperance, being in a 

 boat, had been pelted with a fliower of ftones 

 by fome favages, on whom they had found it 

 neceffhry to fire feveral mufliets in order to 

 force them to retire into the woods. It mud 

 be acknowledged that this fkirmifh had been 

 brought on by the imprudence of one of our 

 people, who, williing to make the New Cale- 

 donians keep back, had levelled at him his 

 mulket, which he had through aw^kwardnefs 

 fired ori. 



On the Sth of May, Admiral Entrecafleaux 

 appointed Dauribeau to the command of the 

 Efpe ranee. 



I was very much occupied on board during a 

 great part of the day with a procefs indifpen- 

 iable for the prefervation of my fpecimens; I 

 went afiicrc in the afternoon, and immediately 

 after I perceived fome of the inhabitants falling 

 upon our fifilcrmcn, in oruer^to take from theni 

 their net with the filli vvhich they had juil: 

 cauo-ht. We were oblio;ed to fire at them at 

 lead twenty muflvcts before wc could fuceecd 

 in difpcrfing tliem entirely. They fiooct firm 

 on tlie beach during all tliis time, rcpel- 

 liiig tlic attack with their flings, arid .vcverely 

 wovnulcd the gunner cf the Efpcrancc in the 

 aiiii with a ftone ; they then took to their 



heels, 



