662 v 
pedition was affigned to Captain ENTRE- 
CASTEAUX. 
The leading obje&t of the voyage. was 
to endeavour to procure intelligence re-. 
Tative to Captain La PEYROUSE, whohad 
fong been miffing in the South Seas, and 
to make a complete tour of New Holland ; 
an ifland, by far the largeft in the world ;. 
comprehending an immenfe circuit of at 
feaft 3000 (French) leagues. “The accom- 
plithment of this laft point was effential 
to the hiftory 'of geography, and what 
had not been effected by either Cook, or 
La PEYROUSE. 
_ The firt port we made, was Santa 
Cruz in Teneriffe; we arrived there on the 
z7th of O&ober, and having taken in | 
wines and provifions, we preceeded on our 
route to the Cape of Good Hope: we ar- 
rived there; and while we continued there, 
the expedition fuftained a confiderabie 
misfortune in the death of the aftronomer 
BERTRAND. 
Feb. 16th, 1792. We left the Cape, 
and bore away for the ifland of New Gu- 
zea, fome parts of which we explored : 
we reached the iflands Arfacides on July 
the oth, and New Ireland the 17th ditto. 
We afterwards made for Ambeyza, one of 
the Molucca iflands, where we arrived 
September 6th. ; 
O&. 11th. We left Amboyna, and fail- 
ed immediately for the weft part of New 
Hollazd, along which we intended to coait, 
(as being the leaft known) and then to 
proceed along the fouthern there; we 
weére always driven back, however, by 
eat and fouth-eaft winds, and this part of 
aur enterprize was confequently fruftrated. 
Dec. 3d, 1792. We arrived at that 
cape which is at thé fouth-weft extremity 
of New Holiand, and failed along the 
fcuthern fhore till Jan. 3d, having by this 
means, traced and aifcertained about two- 
thirds of the whole extent of the fouthern 
coaft. 
Tn confequence of the want of water, 
and the prevalence of high fouth-eafterly 
winds, we bore away for the Cape de Di- 
ernes; the fouth-eaft extremity of this ex- 
tenfive ifland. In this part of the fouthern 
coaft, we obferved a number of bold and 
noble harbours. After a delay here of 
three weeks, we fhaped our courfe for 
New Zealand, and atterwards for the 
Friendly Iflands. 
On the 11th of March, we pafféd very 
near the North Cape of New Zealand, and 
making for the thore, feveral canoes came 
along-fide of us. We procured a number 
of ornaments from the favages, and part- 
ing from them relu@antiy, coitinued our 
Toute, 
Voyage round the World, by the French, in 1791-2-3. 
‘ners. 
[Sup/ 
On the 16th, we difcovered. two little. 
iflands, at a little diftance from each other. 
The moft eaftern. one lies in 30° 17. fouth. 
latitude, and in 179% 41, eait longitude. — 
On the 17th, we difcovered an ifland 
about five leagues in circumference, con- 
{picucus by its elevated fituation. It lies 
in 29% 3, fouth latitude, and im 179° 54, 
ealt longitude. « 
On the 2d of March, we faw Ehoua, 
the mof fouth wefterly of the Friendly 
Tfands. The next day we anchored ar 
Tongatabeo, the largelt of the Frtendly 
Tfiands. A multitude of canoes crowded 
about us, and the beach was foon covered 
with the natives, who welcomed our. ar- 
rival by every poilible expreflion of joy. 
This fatisfaction was fometimes inter- 
rupted by the imrprudence of fome of our 
people, and fometimes by the exceflive cu- 
riofity-of the Iflanders, to fee and poffefs 
every thing that was Eurepean. After a 
tedious voyage, which had often forced us 
to put in to uninhabited places, how grate- 
ful was the fatistaction we experienced, to 
find ourfelves fo hofpitably entertained by 
2 people among whom civilization is al- 
ready confiderably advanced! 
Among thefe Ilanders, we frequently 
meet with men fix feet high, their limbs 
fhaped in the moft comely. proportion. 
The fertility of the foil, which exempted 
them from the neceflity of extreme labour, 
may conduce not a little to the unufual 
perfection of their forms. Their features 
have a.ftrong refemblance to thofe of Eu- 
ropeans. A burning fky has impreffed a 
flicht difcolour on their fkins.. Thofe,_ 
‘among the women, who are but little ex- 
pofed to the rays of the fun, are fufiici- 
ently fair. Some of them are diftinguithed 
by a beautiful carnation, which gives a 
vivacity to their whole figure., A thou- 
fand namelefs graces aré vifible in their 
geflures, when, engaged in the flighte& 
employments. . In the dance, their move~ 
ments are enchanting. . . 
The language.of this people bears an 
analogy with the gentleneis of their man- 
It is well adapted to mufic, for 
which they have a peculiar tafte.. Their 
concerts, wherein every one performs his 
part, demonftrate the juft ideas which 
they entertain of harmony. . The wo- 
men, as well as the men, have their fhoul- 
ders and breafts naked, ..A cotton cloth, 
or rather a piece of {uff manufactured 
with the bark of. mulberry tree into. pa- 
per, ferves them for apparel. It forms 
a beautiful drapery reaching from a little 
above the waift, down to the fect. : 
The art of pottery. hes mide fome 
progreis among them. We daw feveral 
vales 
