IHTRODUCTIOK, 



that the moft expert navigator is jgnorant 

 what route he ought to purfue in order to 

 avoid them. 



On the memorable day of the pafTage of 

 Venus over the fun*s difk^ in the month of 

 June 1769) I could not make an obferva- 

 lion of that important phenomenon, though 

 the fky was pure and ferene, becaufe the 

 cor\Tette on which I had embarked was in 

 danger of being fiiipwrecked on the Carga- 

 dos. To avoid deftruQion we were obliged 

 to double, againft the windj the moft eaftem 

 point of that formidable fhoal. It muft be 

 allowed, therefore, that after fuch an acci- 

 dent I have great reafon to miftruft that 

 opinion, too much credited, of the corre£t- 

 nefs of M. d'Apres' charts. 



I cannot here enter into any farther de- 

 tail refpeding the archipelago which fepa- 

 rates India from the Ifle of France ; but I 

 will venture to affirm, that it is neceflary it 

 5 fliould 



