INTRO00CTIOK. xlix 



grefles, two months and a half before the 

 arrival of the corvette k Daupbine. 



If, in this introduftion^ I have taken the 

 liberty to infert a difrertatlon on the liles of 

 France and Bourbon, and that Archipelago 

 full of fhoals which is fituated to the north 

 of thefe iileS| it was, as 1 have already ob- 

 ferved, becaufe I thought it highly necelTary 

 to point out to navigators the obftacles 

 which they will have to encounter whei^ 

 they attempt, during the bad feafqn, to pro- 

 ceed to the coaft of Coromandel by a direct 

 courfe. I had entered into very minute 

 details on this fubjed, for according to the 

 original plan of this work, it was to be di^ 

 vided into two diftin^l: parts ; but owing to 

 unforefeen circumftances, the nautical part of 

 my voyage will not appear for fome time, 

 though it was printed above five years agOj 

 as well as that which is now publiOied. 



