of the island of Guaham, one of the Mariannes, and to the east of Mindanao, one of the Philippines." The Isle of France, or Mauritius, was to be the eighth rendezvous of the ships in case of separation; and La Pérouse was especially enjoined to stay there no longer than might be absolutely necessary to put himself into a condition to return to Europe. Then he was to look out for Cape Circumcision, discovered by Lozier Bouvet in 1739, and thence make sail for the Cape of Good Hope; -“ if at this period he judge the ships to be not sufficiently furnished with provision, to make their return to Europe;" in any case, however, he was, on his return to Europe, to endeavour to examine the islands of Tristan d'Acunha, Picos, and several others, to dispel some uncertainty which prevailed concerning their position. "He will return to the port of Brest," the instructions concluded, "where it is probable he may arrive in July or August, 1789."

A commander would have required the eyes of Argus and the hands of Briareus to get through such a task as this. But things were destined to take a very different turn, and the July and August of 1789 brought events that distracted the general attention very effectually from the enterprising navigator and the chances of his return.

It was on the 4th of July, 1785, that La Pérouse arrived at Brest to take the command of the expedition, which sailed a month afterwards on the 1st of August. Among the precautions taken against accidents and losses on the voyage had been the providing a completely decked boat about twenty tons burden, which had been stowed in pieces on board the Boussole. A spare mainmast, capstan, and other similar things had also been provided; and the Astrolabe was furnished with equal completeness. The voyagers had a pleasant run to Madeira, and La Pérouse, in his journal, mentions with enthusiasm the warm and cordial reception given him by several English residents there, but deplores the dearness of the wine, of which he had intended to lay in a stock, but which he found more than twice as expensive as the vintage of Teneriffe. In this latter island, where the voyagers made a short stay, an observatory was erected, and some interesting observations were taken relative to the variation of chronometer clocks, as caused by temperature. Here also sixty pipes of wine were bought.

Adverse winds prevented the commander from making the island Pennedo de San Pedro, as he had wished to do; and La Pérouse, who was always exceedingly anxious to carry out his orders to the letter, takes care to note in his journal-"The making of this island was not

enjoined in my instructions, but merely indicated, in case it should oblige me to turn only a little or not at all out of my way." Like other

voyagers in the tropies, he notices the great numbers of man-of-war birds and other seafowl that follow ships from 8 degrees north latitude to near the line.

On the 15th of October, during a violent thunderstorm, the Boussole and Astrolabe were both visited by the singular electric phenomenon known to sailors since the Middle Ages under the name of Corpo Santo, or St. Elmo's lights. This phenomenon consists of a vivid blue light dancing at the masthead, and the superstition of the sailors pronounced it to be St. Elmo, their patron saint, who thus appeared to the faithful during a storm to show them by his visible presence that he took them under his protection. In ancient times already these lights had been observed, and both Seneca and Pliny mention them as having flickered about the masts of the Roman galleys during storms. Fernando Columbus, a brother of the great discoverer of America, records how, during the voyage of 1493-the second that Columbus made-the crews of his ships were one night in great peril among the West India Islands from a sudden gusty storm of wind; and how the crew were comforted by the appearance of the phenomenon. "On the same Saturday," he says, "in the night was seen St. Elmo, with seven lighted tapers, at the topmast. There was much rain and great thunder. I mean to say that those lights were seen which mariners affirm to be the body of St. Elmo, on beholding which they chanted many litanies and orisons, holding it for certain that in the tempest in which he appears no one is in danger." In the record of Magellan's voyage a similar circumstance is mentioned. In the superstitious imagination of the sailors the light fashioned itself into St. Elmo, holding sometimes one taper, sometimes two; whereupon the sailors "shed tears of joy and received much consolation."

II.

Successful Precautions against Disease on the Boussole and Astrolabe-Congregation of Whales in Strait Lemaire-Easter Island-Remarkable Monuments-State of Cultivation - Pilfering Propensities of the Natives-Run to the North-Port des Français-Its Capabilities as a Trading SettlementLamentable Accident and Loss of Twenty Lives-Climate of Port des Français compared with that of Labrador-Voyage to Monterey.

NOTHING of importance happened during the time occupied by the

voyagers in rounding Cape Horn and entering the Great Pacific. La Pérouse, laudably concerned for the health of his crews, followed out the measures originally adopted by Cook, frequently fumigating the ships, enforcing personally all matters connected with ventilation and cleanliness, and paying especial attention to the diet of the ships' companies. The result, as in Cook's case, was that the ordinary scourges of seamen on long voyages did not appear on the Boussole or Astrolabe. In Lemaire Strait, at half a league distance, they were surrounded by whales. "It was easy to see," says La Perouse, "that they had never been molested. They took no alarm at our ships, swam majestically along within pistol-shot of us, and will no doubt remain sovereigns of these seas till the fishermen go to make war upon them as at Spitzbergen or Greenland. I doubt," he continues, "whether there be a better place in the world for the whale fishery. The ships might be at anchor in good bays, within reach of water, wood, anti-scorbutic herbs, and seafowl; while their boats, without going a league, might kill as many whales as would make them a good cargo. The only inconvenience would be the length of the voyage, which would require near five months for each run; and I should imagine that these latitudes can only be frequented in the months of December, January, and February."

The days of immunity for the whales in the Southern Ocean have long passed away. Increasing competition has brought an increased energy and boldness into whale-fishing as into every other branch of commerce; and the traveller passing through Strait Lemaire would now be told that the whales-rendered timid and distrustful by increasing persecution-have retired to higher latitudes to take refuge from their numerous enemies in the icy regions around the pole.

Early in April, 1786, the voyagers reached Easter Island, in the

South Pacific. Cook had already visited this singular land, but La Pérouse had a better opportunity than the English navigator of examining it, and gives us many interesting particulars concerning the country and its inhabitants. He speaks highly of the ingenuity and friendliness of the people, who welcomed their visitors with every appearance of cordiality; but they were great thieves, and had a bad habit of stealing the hats and handkerchiefs of the French during the friendliest of interviews. The colossal images found in their burial-places, or morais— monuments of which Cook had made mention—proved on examination to be made of a kind of lava, very pliable, and consequently easily worked. They had evident notions of a future state, and one of them explained that a heap of stones surmounted by one of these statues was a tomb, by laying himself flat on the earth and pointing downward, to indicate that a man lay buried beneath. He then pointed towards the sky, endeavouring to explain to the strangers that the spirit of him whose body was interred there had travelled beyond the clouds.

M. Duché, a scientific gentleman attached to the expedition, sent home a very graphic illustration of a morai of this kind; and with a touch of true French humour he has introduced into his drawing the figure of a native peeping from behind a statue, the dimensions of which two Frenchmen are busily engaged in measuring, and by means of a long stick stealing the hat of one of the scientific investigators. The statues themselves were nearly fifteen feet high. The numerous fields and plantations, of rectangular shape, and evidently cultivated with great care and assiduity, showed that these people had attained some degree of civilisation. There appeared to be no chief of real authority among them. Trees were scarce, and, as a consequence, good supplies of fresh water were not to be procured; for in these regions the amount of rainfall depends in a great measure on the nature and abundance of the vegetation. The presence of the sugar-cane gave evidence of the natural fertility of the soil. The islanders are described as a stout, handsome race, with tawny skins and black hair. Their garments— with which, however, they were very scantily supplied-were made chiefly from the bark of the paper mulberry. They also made hats and baskets of rushes, and were adepts at carving in wood. They had a custom of depositing the bodies of their dead in caverns.

The ships now sailed to the Sandwich Islands, on one of which, Moanee, La Pérouse made a considerable stay; but as this group had already been accurately described by Cook, this part of the French