Ch. I. SOUTH AMERICA. 5 



his countenance, and ordered the narrative of it to 

 be publilhed not only for the information and in- 

 ftrudlion of his own fubjeds, but alfo for thofe of 

 other nations, to whom thefe accounts will prove equal- 

 ly advantageous. And, that this narrative may be the 

 more inftru6tive, we (hall introduce the particular cir- 

 cumftances which originally gave occafion to our 

 voyage, and were in a manner the bafis and rule of 

 the other enterprizes, which will be mentioned in the 

 fequel, each in its proper order. 



The attention of the royal academy of fciences at 

 Paris, for the improvement of human knowledge, 

 and its continual ardour to difcover and apply the 

 bed methods for that noble end, could not fit down 

 contented under the uncertainty concerning the real 

 figure and magnitude of the earth ; the inveftigation 

 of which had, for feveral years pafb, employed the 

 moft eminent geniufes of Europe. This learned af- 

 fembly reprefented to their fovereign, the neceffity of 

 determining a point, the exad: decifion of which was 

 of fuch great moment, efpecially to geography and 

 navigation ; and at the fame time laid before him a 

 method of doing it. This was, to meafure fome de- 

 gree of the meridian near the equator ; and (as was 

 done with great propriety after our departure) by 

 meafuring other degrees under the polar circle, in or- 

 der to form a judgement of the different parts of its 

 circumference, by their equality or inequality, and 

 from thence to determine its magnitude and figure. 

 No country feemed fo proper for this as the province 

 of Quito in South America. The other countries 

 under the equinoctial line, both in Afia and Africa, 

 were either inhabited by favages, or not of an extent 

 fufficient for thefe operations; fo that, after the moil ma- 

 ture reflediion, that of Qiiito was judged to be the 

 only place adapted to the plan in queftion. 



His mod Chriftian majefty Lewis XV. applied, 

 by his minifters, to king Philip, that fome members 



' B 3 of 



