52 Geographical Collections. 
Academy of Sciences, it was ordered to be printed among the memoirs of foreign 
writers. Not contenting himself with a simple nomenclature of plants, nor with 
merely collecting, he viewed plants in the relation which they bore to the climate, 
and to their geographical distribution, in the manner of De Humboldt and o 
Decandolle. * 
The study of natural history did not lead him to neglect that of manners. He 
observed with care the physical and moral characters, the organization and intel- 
ligence of different people ; their language and their vocabulary ; their opinions 
and their religious practices. These researches often lead him to establish very 
curious and important relations. ‘‘ In every thing that concerns the history of 
man,” said he, ‘‘ nothing is indifferent to the eyes of the observer, and under 
this view, the faithful description of a single trike, would it not offer as much 
food for philosophic meditation, as the complete history of one of our great em- 
pires 2” 
It would have been thought, that after so laborious though splendid a voyage, 
Mr. d’Urville would have wished to enjoy in future tranquillity, the fruit of his 
labours; but his indefatigable zeal, and the enthusiasm with which he was ani- 
mated, led him to meditate another expedition. It was not again to make a voy- 
age round the world. ‘These great circumnavigations did not appear to him te 
offer as much interest or utility as the exploration of coasts. He proposed to 
himself particularly to acquire some exact notions on New Guinea; nor was there 
perhaps any information of more importance, from its probable susceptibility 
of an European colonization. This territory, fertile, and favoured by nature, 
produces spontaneously nutmegs, cloves, sandal-wood, and many other objects of 
an advantageous commerce; and to verify and increase our present stock of know- 
ledge of this country, was a task as important as it was difficult to accomplish. 
_ But the report had got abroad that some indications of La Peyrouse had been 
obtained.+ The frigate La Coquille, designed for this voyage, took the name of 
Astrolabe: the choice of the crew, composed of about 80 men, comprising the 
staff and naturalists who were to accompany Mr. d’Urville, was trusted to him. 
He selected Mr. Jaquinot for second in command, and Mr. Gaimard as chief 
medical man and naturalist; the first had already been out in Mr. Freycinet’s 
expedition, and the second in that of Mr. Duperrey. 
Mr. d’Urville, before his departure, visited his native country, and staid a short 
time at Caén, where he was received with much interest, and admitted as corre- 
spondent to the academy of that town. 
The expedition left Toulon on the 25th of April 1826. 
The first news of importance that was received from it, contained the intelli- 
* Annales des Sciences Naturelles, Cahier for Sept. 1828. 
+ Much useless recrimination took place lately, on the first discovery of the 
remains of La Peyrouse. Without entering into any details on this dispute, 
we shall give the final results as acknowledged by the French authorities. In - 
a first voyage to the islands of Vanicolo, ee word is indifferently spelt Mani- 
colo, Mannicolo, Vanicoro, and Vanicollo, in the various reports and corre- 
spondence which we have seen,) the English captain, Peter Dillon, had found 
upon these islands some remains of the shipwreck of La Peyrouse; and in a 
voyage undertaken at the expense of the English East Indian Company, the 
captain procured several objects which evidently belonged to the vessels of that 
celebrated navigator. Captain Dillon was charged by the king of England to 
offer these objects to his majesty Charles X. who was pleased to receive them. 
The king of France, by order of the 22d of February, elected the captain a mem- 
ber of the royal order of the legion of honour; and his majesty, by a decision 
of the same day, in execution of a decree of the 29th February 1791, granted to 
him an indemnification of 10,000 francs for his personal expenses during the 
expedition, and a life-rent of 4000 francs. 
n his second voyage to the Vannicolo islands, Captain Dillon took Mr. 
Chaigneau, ex-consular agent of France, who had voluntarily offered himself 
_to join in this perilous enterprise with him. The king, to reward the exertions 
of this gentleman, elected him member of the legion of honour. 
