1 98 Memoir of Charles Alexander Lesueur. 



surplus for the maintenance of foreign commerce. "Of all the 

 European nations," says Peron, " that which appears to have best 

 understood the true principles of colonization is the English." 

 We need not go beyond North America to be convinced of this 

 important truth ; and when we pass in review the various people 

 who have undertaken to plant colonies on our continents, the 

 Spaniards, the French, the Dutch, the Swedes, and the English; 

 what a cheering subject of reflection is it, that these United 

 States owe their stamina to the Anglo Saxon race ; and that their 

 language, their habits, and their characteristics, are those which 



distinguish the most illustrious nation upon- the face of the earth. 



A stay of five months duration at Port Jackson, afforded the 

 gentlemen of the expedition abundant means to study the econo- 

 my and policy of that singular colony; and the results of their 

 investigations, as detailed by Peron, are not only instructive, po- 

 litically considered, but they impart to his narrative a moral effect, 

 which renders it doubly interesting. 



In consequence of the diminution of the crews of the two cor- 

 vettes, by sickness, death and casualties, it was deemed advisable 

 to send the Naturaliste to France. In her stead a small schooner 

 of thirty tons, was purchased and fitted out as a tender, provided 

 with means to facilitate the labors of the hydrographers, in their 

 explorations of the coasts. She was named the Casuarina. 



On the 18th of November, 1802, the vessels sailed from Port 

 Jackson, and directed their course for the Straits of Bass. On the 

 8th of December, at King's Island, the separation of the corvettes 

 took place ; the Naturaliste to pursue her homeward voyage, the 

 Geographe and the schooner to continue those investigations 

 which the disasters of the previous navigation had interrupted. 



The Geographe, and her tender, visited in succession the north- 

 west coasts of Van Diemens Land, and the neighboring isles, 

 Napoleon's Land, Nuyts' Land, Leuwin's Land, Endracht's Land, 

 and De Witt's Land. Five months thus employed, amidst diffi- 

 culties and dangers of no ordinary kind, a want of fresh supplies 

 of provisions and water, compelled them to seek again the Island 

 of Timor, rendered memorable by the calamities of the former 

 visit ; and they cast anchor in the bay of Coepang on the 6th of 

 May, 1803. The dreaded dysentery reappearing among them, 

 the vessels were hastily got ready for departure, and on the 3d of 

 June they set sail with the intention of visiting the Land of Arn- 

 heim, the Gulf of Carpentaria, and the southwest extremity of 

 New Guinea. After upwards of thirty days of buffeting i urist 

 th^pasterly monsoon, the project of continuing their researches 

 appeared to be hopeless, as their stock of water would not suliice 

 for so long a course, and their deadly foe, the scurvy, was once 

 more in the midst of them. The commander therefore resolved 

 to make the best of his way to the only port where the resources 



