OP LA PEROUSE. I05 



altogether impoflible for himi to go farther on, 

 without this ihort nap. 



I learnt with concern, on my return from 

 Franche-Hoek, that we were to lofe three of our 

 fhipmates; they had juft alked the Admiral's 

 permiffion to leave the fhip, not being able to 

 proceed farther on the expedition, on account of 

 their health: thefe were Bertrand the aftronomer, 

 Blavier the naturalift, and Ely the painter. 

 Bertrand had gone fome days before to make 

 barometrical obfervations on Table Mountain, 

 where he had a fall, from which he fuffered ex- 

 tremely. I was informed on my return to France, 

 that he did not enjoy the happinefs of again 

 feeing his country ; for he died at the Cape, a 

 ihort time after our departure. 



Cape Town being built fo that all the roofs 

 of the houfes are flat, has a tolerably handfome 

 appearance. Its means of defence againft the 

 fea have, of late^ears, been increafed. 



The Admiral advifed me, on account of the 

 Ihip being fo much encumbered, to depoiit the 

 collections of natural hiflory, which 1 had made 

 during my flay at the Cape, with the Agent of 

 the French government, named Gui, who pro- 

 mifed to forward them to France by the firft op- 

 portunity. They have not, however, arrived at 

 the place of their deftination. I learnt at the 



Ifle 



