INTRODUCTION. XXXlll 



I feize this opportunity to exprefs my gratitude 

 to that fkilful feaman, whofe lofs we have to de- 

 plore in the prefent war. 



When I quitted Batavia to repair to the Ifle 



of France, Citizen Piron, draughtfinan of the 



expedition, begged me to accept duplicates of 



the drawings of the drefTes and of the views 



* 

 which he had taken in the courfe of the voyage. 



I will venture to fay, that thefe drawings are a 



ftriking reprefentation of the oiiginals. 



I have endeavoured to relate, in the mo ft 

 exac"l manner, the facls of which I was an eye- 

 witnefs during this fatiguing voyage, through 

 feas flrewn with fhoals, and in the midfl of fa- 

 vages, againft whom it was necefTary for us to be 

 conftantly on our guard. 



Admiral D'Entrecafleaux was appointed to the 

 command of the expedition. This officer ap- 

 plied to government for two ftore-fhips of about 

 five hundred tons burden ; they were fheathed 

 with wood, and their bottom was then rilled 

 with nails. The Admiral was indifferent at 

 their lofing in point of lpeed, in hopes of 

 giving an additional degree of folidity to their 



vol. i. c con- 



