192 Memoir of Charles Alexander Lesneur. 



1794, Peron was exchanged, and received a discharge from the 

 army, in consequence of having, through his wound, lost the use 

 of his right eye. This misfortune incapacitating him for military 

 service, he resolved to engage in the study of medicine ; and, 

 consequently, he repaired to Paris, where he became a pupil of 

 the School of Medicine ; and for the space of three years not only 

 assiduously followed the courses of that school, but also those of 

 zoology and comparative anatomy of the museum at the Garden 

 of Plants. 



When the expedition for the discovery of southern lands was 

 preparing to depart, Peron conceived a great desire to accompany 

 it, and made application to the government to that effect. He 

 was refused on the plea that, as the scientific corps was already 

 complete, no addition could be admitted. This answer might 

 have satisfied an ordinary applicant, but it was not sufficient for 

 an enthusiastic mind, fertile in resources, and deriving vigor from 

 opposition. He now sought an interview with M. de Jussieu, 

 one of the commissioner's who had made a selection of the natu- 

 ralists, and begged him to intercede for him. To justify his ap- 

 parent presumption, he stated his views of what he considered an 

 important omission in the scientific department of the expedition. 

 These were urged with a warmth and energy which evidently 

 shewed that he felt himself capable of supplying the deficiency. 

 Let me go, added he, with emphasis, you shall see what I will 

 do ! M. de Jussieu, who listened to him with admiration, advised 

 him to write a memoir, explanatory of his motives, in order that 

 they might be made known to the Institute. This course was 

 promptly followed. The memoir, setting forth the importance 

 of associating with the scientific men of the expedition a medical 

 naturalist, one specially charged with the duty of making re- 

 searches in anthropology, or the natural history of the human 

 race, was read before the Institute : and, on their unanimous re- 

 commendation, Peron received the appointment of a place among 

 the zoologists of the expedition, and was ordered to embark in 

 the corvette, the Geographe. 



On the 19th of October, 1800, the two ships left the port of 

 Havre, and directing their course for the Canaries, they came to 

 anchor, the beginning of November, in the harbor of Santa Cruz, 

 in the island of Teneriffe. The object of touching at Santa 

 Cruz was to procure certain provisions deemed necessary in trop- 

 ical climates ; which object being accomplished, they took their 

 departure for the Isle of France, where they arrived on the IStn 

 of March, 1801. 



Peron and Lesueur, from the commencement of the voyage, 

 seemed to be attracted to each other by mutual sympathy. They 

 were both admirers of nature's works ; and perceiving in each 

 other certain qualities which, if properly united, might be pro- 



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