BOUGAINVILLE'S VOYAGE. 



453 



to abandon them. Captain Louis- Antoine de Bougainville was 

 instructed, in 1766, to proceed to the islands, and there, in the 

 name of his French majesty, cede them to the Spanish authorities 

 who would be sent out for the purpose. He was then to con- 

 tinue on, by the Strait of Magellan and the Pacific, to the East 

 Indies, and thence to return home. Should he accomplish this 

 task, he would be the first French circumnavigator of the globe. 



Bougainville received the command of the frigate La Bou- 

 deuse, carrying twenty-six twelve-pounders, and was to be 

 joined at the Falk lands by the store-ship TEtoile. He sailed 

 from Brest on the 5th of December, the Prince of Nassau- 

 Singhen, who had been allowed to accompany the expedition, 

 being on board. They arrived at Montevideo early in February, 

 1767, and found there the two Spanish frigates to whose com- 

 mander Bougainville was to surrender the Falkland Islands, and 

 with whom he sailed in company on the 28th of the month. They 

 met with severe weather, but arrived safely at their destination 

 towards the close of March. The settlement was made over to 

 the Spaniards on the 1st of April: the Spanish colors were 

 planted and saluted at sunrise and sunset. The French inha- 

 bitants were informed they might either remain or return : a 

 portion embarked with the garrison for Montevideo, on their 

 way back to France. 



Bougainville waited at the islands till the end of May for 

 the store-ship, which was to join him at this point, and then 

 returned to Rio Janeiro, where he hoped to get tidings of her. 

 She had but just arrived, bringing salt meat and liquor suffi- 

 cient for fifteen months, but no bread or vegetables. So he 

 was forced to go, in quest of these provisions, back to Monte- 

 video. From here he went to Buenos Ayres, on the opposite side 

 of the bay formed by the mouths of the La Plata, making the 

 journey, however, overland, as a contrary wind prevented his pro- 

 ceeding by water. At night, he and his party slept in leathern 

 tents, while tigers howled around them on every side. Coming 



