Wilhems Plains .] 
TERRA AUSTRALIS. 
430 
CHAPTER VII. 
Occupations at Vacouas. Hospitality of the inhabitants. Letters from 
England. Refusal to be sent to France repeated. Account of two 
hurricanes , of a subterraneous stream and circular pit. Habitation of 
La Perouse. Letters to the French marine minister, National Institute, 
&c. Letters from Sir Edward Pellew. Caverns in the Plains of 
St. Pierre. Visit to Port Louis. Narrative transmitted to England. 
Letter to captain Bergeret on his departure for Fratice. 
The latter end of August and beginning of September appertain to 
the winter in the southern hemisphere, during which it rains fre- 
quently at Vacouas ; in the first month after my arrival there were 
few days that continued fine throughout, and although all opportu- 
nities were taken to make excursions in the neighbourhood, a con- 
siderable part of the time was necessarily passed within doors. 
Having sent away my charts and instruments, and most of the books 
and papers, no object of my voyage could be prosecuted until a fur- 
ther supply should be obtained from the captain-general De Caen ; 
and this being the time, should it ever arrive, to which I had looked 
for gaining some knowledge of the French language, the study of 
it was now made a serious employment. 
Amongst the principal habitations near the Refuge, the pro- 
prietor of one only was resident in the country; and the introduction 
of my friend Pitot having produced an invitation, I profited by it to 
spend there several evenings, which, besides being passed agreeably, 
facilitated the study to which my attention was directed. There 
was living in the family an unemployed commander of a merchant 
ship, M. Murat, who had made the voyage with Etienne Marchand, 
1805 . 
September, 
