144 VOYAGE IN SEARCH 



Several large trees which we felled during Our 

 flay, were, notwithstanding their very healthy 

 appearance, difcovered to be rotten in ihe heart. 



After having followed the fea-fhore, which 

 extends to the fouth-eaft, forming various finu- 

 ofities, we wifhed to penetrate acrofs fome 

 marfhes, and get to the places made folid by the 

 roots of plants ; but a new fpecies offchrya, two 

 or three meters in height, the leaves of which 

 cut our hands and face, prevented us from pro- 

 ceeding farther. 



In this excurfion I killed fome birds of the 

 motiiailti .genus, and different parrots, among 

 which I remarked the New Caledonia parrot, 

 defcribed by Latham. 



We returned towards the entrance of the har- 

 bour, where our people had juft been creeling 

 the tents of the obfervatory ; we were certain to 

 find there a boat to carry us on board. 



The aftronomers waited r. it hours and 



a quarter to obferve Jupiter's flrft fatellitcs; 

 but notwithstanding their diligence thev were 

 not in proper time, and the obfervation could 

 not be made. Bonvouloir, one of the officers 

 of our fhip, who had long before made the pre- 

 liminary calculations, was fo affected at this 

 difappuintment. that he could not refrain from 

 (bedding tears. 



3 ne 



