CHAPTER I.

FRENCH NAVIGATORS.

I.

Discoveries by Bouvet de Lozier in the Southern Seas--Surville-- Land of the Arsacides--Incident during the stay at Port Praslin--Arrival off the Coast of New Ireland--Surville's death--Marion's discoveries in the Antarctic Ocean--His massacre in New Zealand--Kerguelen in Iceland and the Arctic Regions--The Contest of the Watches--Fleurien and Verdun de la Crenne . . . . 209

II.

Expedition under command of La Perouse--St. Catherine's Island-- Conception Island--Sandwich Islands--Survey of the American Coast--Fort des Francais--Loss of two boats--Monterey and the Indians of California--Stay at Macao--Cavite and Manilla--En route for China and Japan--Formosa--Quelpaert Island--The Coast of Tartary--Ternay Bay--The Tartars of Saghalien--The Orotchys--Straits of La Perouse--Ball at Kamtchatka--Navigator Archipelago--Massacre of M. de Langle and several of his companions--Botany Bay--Cessation of news of the expedition-- D'Entrecasteaux sent in search of La Perouse--False News--Strait of D'Entrecasteaux--The Coast of New Caledonia--Land of the Arsacides--Natives of Bouka--Stay at Port Carteret--Admiralty Islands--Stay at Amboine--Lewin Land--Nuyts Land--Stay in Tasmania--Fete in the Friendly Islands--Details of La Perouse's visit to Tonga Tabou--Stay at Balado--Traces of La Perouse's Voyage to New Caledonia--Vanikoro--Sad end of the Expedition . . 241

III.

Voyage by Captain Marchand--The Marquesas--Discovery of Nouka-Hiva--Manners and Customs of the people--Revolution Islands--The American Coast and Tchinkitane Port--Cox's Straits--Stay in the Sandwich Islands--Macao--Deception--Return to France--Discoveries by Bass and Flinders upon the Australian coast--Expedition under Captain Baudin--Endracht and De Witt Lands--Stay at Timor--Survey of Van Diemen's land--Separation of the _Geographe_ and _Naturaliste_--Stay at Port Jackson--The Convicts--Pastoral riches of New South Wales--Return of the _Naturaliste_ to France--Cruises by the _Geographe_ and _Casuarina_ to Nuyts, Edels, Endracht and De Witt Lands--Second Stay at Timor--Return to France . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294