Читать книгу Voyage In Search Of La Perouse Volume I - Jacques Labillardiere - Страница 5

Table of Contents

TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. INTRODUCTION. CHAPTER I. DEPARTURE from Brest—Arrival at St. Croix, in the Island of Teneriffe—Journey to the Peak of Teneriffe—Resuscitation of a Sailor who had been drowned—Some daring Robbers early off his Clothes—Two of our Naturalists are attacked with a spilling of Blood, which obliges them to give up their Design of Proceeding to the Summit of the Peak—English Vessels in the Road of St. Croix—Different Results from the Observations made in Order to determine the Variations of the Needle—New Eruption of a Volcano to the South-east of the Peak CHAPTER II. We depart from Teneriffe, and set sail for the Cape of Good Hope—Observations—Splendid Appearance of the Surface of the Sea, produced by phosphoric Light—The most general Cause of the Phosphorescence of the Sea-water ascertained—Four of our Sheep which we had brought from Teneriffe are thrown into the Sea—Moderate Temperature of the Atmosphere near the Line—Variation of the Compass greater on the South than on the North Side of the Equator—Easy Method of rendering stagnated Water fresh—Thick Fog, which causes the Mercury in the Barometer to rise—Lunar Rainbow—Arrival at the Cape of Good Hope CHAPTER III. Abode at the Cape of Good Hope—Depositions of two French Captains, shewing that they had been informed at Batavia by Commodore Hunter of his having seen some Persons at the Admiralty Islands, dressed in the Uniforms of the French Marine—Captain Bligh's Voyage from England in Quest of the Breadfruit in the Society Islands—Violent Gales from the South East—Local Cause of their Violence—Slave-trade—Excursions amongst the Mountains in the Vicinity of the Town—Journey of the Fiscal—Voyage to Fransche Hoek CHAPTER IV. Departure from the Cape of Good Hope—Death of the Master-Carpenter of the Recherche—Divers Occurrences—Singular Flight of the Albatross—The Isle of St. Paul seen—Conflagration of its Forests—Prodigious Swarms of Insects in our Ship's Biscuit—Violent Effects of the Surge—The Commander dangerously wounded—Luminous Points at the Extremity of the Conductors—Large phosphorescent Corpuscles—In Consequence of an erroneous Observation taken by Willaumez we enter by Mistake into Tempest Bay instead of Adventure Bay—General Observations upon the Variations of the Magnetic Needle—Gradual Diminution of the Phosphorescency of the Water, proportionate to our Distance from the Land—Course of the Currents—We are obliged to heat the Place where our Time-keepers are kept—Anchorage in Port Dentrecasteaux CHAPTER V. Abode at Port Dentrecasteaux—Signs of the Coast's being frequented by the Savages—Different Excursions into the interior Part of the Country—Trees of an enormous Height—Excellence of the Swans—Large Trunks of Trees, hollowed by Fire, serve the Natives as Places of Retreat—Kangaroo—Observations relating to Comparative Anatomy—Places of Shelter against the Wind constructed by the Natives—Construction of their Huts—A sudden Gust of Wind breaks our Chain—We run aground in the Mud—Meet with a young Savage—Intelligence of a Passage by which one may sail from Tempest into Adventure Bay—Huts of the Natives—Phoca Monachus—The Heart of this amphibious Animal has no Foramen Ovale—Observations relating to Comparative Anatomy—Traces of Beasts of Prey at the Cape of Van Diemen—Huts, which appear to have been lately inhabited—Viviparous Flies, the Larvæ of which produce speedy Putrefaction in Flesh-meat—Citizen Riche finds some burnt human Bones—Our Master Sail-maker loses himself in the Woods—Both Vessels run aground in the Mud—Utensils of the Savages— Place of the Observatory—Variation of the Magnetic Needle—Time of High water in the Harbour—Departure from Port Dentrecasteaux—Passage through the Straits of Dentrecasteaux—Fires—Savages seen on the Shore—One of them kindles the Fire in different Places—We cast Anchor in a large Bay at the Entrance of the Straits of Dentrecasteaux—Excursion into the Country—Savages found dressing their Food at the Fire—The Straits which we had discovered receive the Name of the Straits of Dentrecasteaux—Anchoring Places in this Channel—Excursions into the Countries situated along its Coasts—Rencounters with the Savages—Departure from the Straits of Dentrecasteaux CHAPTER VI. Importance of the Strait of Dentrecasteaux—Run from Cape Diemen to New Caledonia—Coasting the South West of New Caledonia—Dangerous Situation of the Recherche near the Reefs on that Coast—Little Cluster of Islands at the Northern Extremity of New Caledonia—View of the Natives—Prodigious Extent of the Reefs—View of the Land of the Arsacides, and of the Treasury Islands—Coasting the Western Part of the Islands of Bougainville, and Bouka—Dangerous Situation of the Recherche, on the Shoals off the Island of Bougainville—Interview with the Savages of Bouka Island—Their Taste for Music—Their Treachery—Their Canoes—Determination of several Points of Bougainville and Bouka Islands—Anchor in Carteret Harbour—Several Excursions on the neighbouring Land—Incessant Rain during our Stay at Carteret Harbour—Different Observations CHAPTER VII. Departure from Carteret Harbour—On that Occasion, the Esperance loses an Anchor—Passage through St. George's Channel—View of the Portland Islands—Different Interviews with the Natives of the Admiralty Islands—Their fantastical Fashion—Despotism of their Chiefs—Canoes—Astonishing rapidity of their Motion—View of the Hermit Islands—Their Inhabitants—View of the Exchequer Islands—A New Island—A Water Spout—View of New Guinea—Passage through Pitt Strait—Singular Effects of the Tides—Ravages of the Scurvy—Anchor at Amboyna CHAPTER VIII. Stay at Amboyna—A Cabin-Boy belonging to the Recherche is accidentally drowned—Visit to the Governor—Different Excursions into the Interior of the Island—One of the Naturalists falls dangerously ill—Description of his Disorder—Agreeable Liquor furnished by the Sago Palm—Sugar extracted from it—Uses of the different Parts of that valuable Tree—Means by which the Flying Dragon sustains itself in the Air—Explanation of Maté, which preserves the Crops from being plundered—A Dutch Sailor flees into the Woods for Fear of being sent to Batavia—Dextrous Manner of catching the Cancer Carcinus—Cabins of the Natives of Amboyna—Their Cloathing, &c.—Their Method of procuring Fire; and of Fishing in the Night—Culture of Nutmegs and Cloves—A long Bamboo cut so as, with a brisk Gale, to emit a very agreeable Sound—Fisheries of the Inhabitants—Sago-Work—Extraction of its Fæculæ—Diseases common at Amboyna—Various Reflections on the Island and its Inhabitants CHAPTER IX. Departure from Amboyna—Singular Effect of the Tides—View of different Islands—Ravages on board, by the Species of Cockroach, called Blatta Germanica—Run along the South-West Coast of New Holland—Death of the Blacksmith belonging to the Recherche—A florin drives us towards the Coast—We anchor in Legrand Bay—The Esperance, while at Anchor, loses two of her Rudder-irons—Her Mooring-chain gives Way—Different Excursions on the neighbouring Land—New Species of Swan—Sea-Salt found at more than one hundred Toises in perpendicular height—That Phœnomenon accounted for—Citizen Riche loses himself on the Continent more than two days—Departure from Legrand Bay, and Continuation of our Run along the Coast—Want of Water obliges us to leave it—Arrival at Cape Diemen—Cast Anchor in the Bay of Rocks LIST OF PLATES. VOLUME I. I. CHART of the World, exhibiting the Track of M. de la Pérouse, and the Tracks of La Recherche and L'Esperance in Search of that Navigator II. View of the Admiralty Islands III. Savage of the Admiralty Islands IX. Black Swan of Van Diemen's-land XII. Fig. 1, 2, and 3. Aseroe Rubra— Fig. 4, 5 and 6. Spider which the New Caledonians eat— 7 and 8 Shield of the Natives of Louisiada—Hatchet of the Natives of Louisiada XIII. Eucalyptus globulus XIV. Exocarpos cupressiformis XV. Diplarrena morœa XVI. Richea glauca XVII. Eucalyptus cornuta XXI. Chorizema ilicifolia XXII. Anigozanthos rufa XXIII. Banksia repens XXIV. Banksia nivea —To face the Title, Vol. I. For the description see page 160, Vol. II. XLIII. Canoe of the Island of Bouka

[A list of plates for Volume II. has been moved to that volume.]

PLATE I. CHART of the World, exhibiting the Track of M. de la Pérouse, and the Tracks of La Recherche and L'Esperance in Search of that Navigator