R etrospect of French Iiterature— Biography. 
the expedition, they abundantly satis- 
' fied the wishes of the naturalists, in re- 
spect to their productions, more especi- 
ally by furnishing them with great plenty 
of the plants of the bread-fruit, which, 
after experiencing a variety of risks, have, 
at length, in consequence of the pains 
taken by Lahaie, arrived safe in France, 
whence they will be transmitted here- 
after for the purpose of enriching our co- 
lonies. 
After having sojourned at Tongata- 
boo, from 23d of March, 1792, until the 
18th of April, the expedition proceeded 
towards the west, in order to reach the 
eastern coast of New Caledonia, because 
this was now the sole remaining place 
where there was the least lhkelihood of 
hearing any tidings of the unfortunate La 
Peyrouse. They arrived at this place on 
the 27th of April, after’ having seen 
many of the islands discovered by Cook, 
and among others, the voleano of Tanna, 
_ which was still burning. 
Tt was here, that, on the 6th of May, 
Hluon, captain of the Esperunce, died; 
on which Auribeau, the lieutenant of the 
Recherche, obtained the command. He 
was interred ona little island, where the 
observatory had been placed. His col- 
lection was bequeathed by him to the 
state ; and there is preserved at the Mu- 
seum, a very rare species of shell, Argo- 
nauta Vitrea, which he perticularly re- 
commended on hisdeath-bed. The com- 
mander in chief D’Entrecasteaux, only 
survived his colleague two months, he 
having paid the debt of nature on the 
2ist of July, 1795, almost under the 
equator. On this, Hernimy d’Auribeau 
assumed the chief command, while Ros- 
se] became captain of L’Esperance. 
On the 14th of August the two vessels 
arrived at Wagion, where they remained 
until the 27th: they afterwards anchored 
on the 3d of September at Bourro, where 
they sojourned until the 15th, and were 
well treated by the Dutch, From that 
port they repaired to the Isle of Java, by 
passing through the Strait of Bontou.— 
They then arrived at Sourbay, or Soura- 
baye, a port in the western part of Java,: 
on the 18th of October, 1793. There 
the officers went on shore to refresh 
themselves, and remained during the 
space of two months. 
Meanwhile Riche occupied his leisure 
hours in making excursions into the neigh- 
bouring country. Such, however, was 
the natural insalubrity of the climate, 
augmented, as it then happened to be, 
by continual rains, that it proved fatal 
bo many persous belonging to the expe- 
3 
AOL 
dition, We shall only notice the death 
of the astronomer Pierson, which oc- 
curred January 2, 1794. D’Auribeau. 
caused a tomb to be erected to his me- 
mory, on which an honourable inserip- 
tioh was engraved, 
fittelhgence of the events of. the 
French revolution, which first reached 
them at this place, having occasioned a 
great difference of opinion, an unhappy 
division took place, which put an ead to 
the expedition. The commander took 
every opportunity to vex those whose 
opinions happened to be opposite to his 
own, and had recourse to the imost cruef 
measures for that purpose. On the 23d 
he sent to Samarang, without any pre- 
vious notice, Legrand, ~Villaumez, and 
Laignet, ofiicers ; Labillardiere and Riche, 
naturalists; Ventenat, the chaplain; and - 
Piron, the draftsman. All the collec< 
tions, the journals, and the charts, re-_ 
mained in his own possession ; these were 
afterwards carried to England, whence 
was sent back that portion which con- 
sisted of natural history. 
After remaining some time at Sama- 
rang, Riche and Legrand were dispatched 
by their colleagues to Batavia, to solicit 
a passage to Europe. They were ar 
first detained as prisoners ; but, after a 
long ume spent in negociations, they 
were at length dispatched to the Isle of 
France, on board of a flag of truce.— 
Ventenat died a few days after his arrival; 
and Riche, being unable to support the 
loss of the valuable and important col- 
lection, formed by him in the course 
of “the expedition, offered to return 
in quest of his treasures, and he accord- 
ingly repaired for this purpose to Batavia, 
but without success. At 
When he had once more revisited the 
Isle of France, he continued his re- 
searches, so Jong, and to as great a de- 
gree, as lis feeble state cf health would 
permit. Having at length embarked for 
his native country,*he reached Bou- 
deaux, whence he repaired to Mount 
d’Or, to drink the waters; but he ar- 
rived at that place in such a feeble state, 
that he surviyed his journey but a few 
days, having died there at the age of 35. 
‘“« Nécrologie de Cavanilles.”— Account 
of the late Abbé Cavanilles the Spanish 
Botanist. . 
Don Antonio Joseph Cavanilles was 
born at Valentia, on the 46th of 
January, 1745. He first studied the 
learned -languaves, under ‘the Jesuits, 
and then repaired to the University 
of his native city, in order to apply 
bimselt to philosophy and theology, 
dg 
