of the arrival of the Expedition, gave the officers a cordial welcome,
forwarded with all the means at his command the revictualling of the
corvette, and rendered friendly assistance in the repairs which the
somewhat shattered condition of the ship rendered necessary. He also
provided means to enable MM. d'Urville and Lesson to make an excursion,
full of interest, beyond the Blue Mountains into the plain of Bathurst,
the resources of which were as yet but imperfectly known to Europeans.
Duperrey did not leave Australia until the 20th of March. On this
occasion he directed his course towards New Zealand, which had been
rather overlooked in former voyages. The vessel came to an anchor in
the Bay of Manawa, forming the southern part of the grand Bay of
Islands. Here the officers occupied their leisure in scientific and
geographical observations, and in making researches in natural history.
At the same time, the frequent intercourse of the explorers with the
natives threw quite a new light upon their manners, their religious
notions, their language, and on their attitude of hostility up to that
time to the teaching of the missionaries. What these savages most
appreciated in European civilization was well-finished weapons--of
which at that time they possessed a great quantity--for by their help
they were the better able to indulge their sanguinary instincts.
The stay of the -Coquille- at New Zealand terminated on the 17th of
April, when a -détour- was made northwards as far as Rotuma,
discovered, but not visited, by Captain Wilson in 1797. The
inhabitants, gentle and hospitable, took great pains to furnish the
navigators with the provisions they required. But it was not long
before the Frenchmen discovered that these gentle islanders, taking
advantage of the confidence which they had known how to create, had
carried off a number of articles that it afterwards cost much trouble
to make them restore. Stringent orders were given, and all thieves
caught in the act were flogged in the presence of their
fellow-countrymen, who, however, as well as the culprits themselves,
treated the affair only as a joke.
Among these savages four Europeans were observed, who had a long time
before deserted from the whale-ship -Rochester-. They were no better
clothed than the natives, and were tatooed and smeared with a yellow
powder after the native fashion; so that it would have been hard to
recognize them but for their white skins and more intelligent looks.
They were quite content with their lot, having married wives and reared
families at Rotuma, where, escaping the cares, the troubles, and the
difficulties of civilized life, they reckoned on ending their days in
comfort. One among them asked to be allowed to remain on board the
-Coquille-, a favour which Duperrey was ready to grant, but the chief
of the island was unwilling, until he learned that two convicts from
Port Jackson asked permission to stay on shore.
Although these people, hitherto little known, offered a most
interesting subject of study to the naturalists, it was necessary to
depart, so the -Coquille- proceeded to survey the Coral Isles and St.
Augustin, discovered by Maurelle in 1781. Then came Drummond Island,
where the inhabitants, dark complexioned, with slight limbs, and
unintelligent faces, offered to exchange some triangular shells,
commonly called holy water cups, for knives and fishhooks; next the
islands of Sydenham and Henderville, where the inhabitants go entirely
naked; after them, Woolde, Hupper, Hall, Knox, Charlotte, Mathews,
which form the Gilbert Archipelago; and finally the Marshall and
Mulgrave groups.
On the 3rd of June Duperrey came in sight of the island of Ualan, which
had been discovered in 1804 by an American, Captain Croser. As it was
not marked upon any chart, the commander decided upon making an exact
and particular survey of it. No sooner had the anchor touched the
bottom than Duperrey, accompanied by some of his officers, made for the
shore. The inhabitants turned out to be a mild and obliging race, who
made their visitors presents of cocoa-nuts and the fruit of the
bread-tree, conducting them through most picturesque scenery to the
dwelling of their principal chief, or "Uross-ton," as he was called.
Dumont d'Urville has given the following sketch of the country through
which the travellers passed on their way to the residence of the chief.
"We glided calmly across a magnificent basin girdled in by a
well-wooded shore, the foliage a bright green. Behind us rose the lofty
hill-tops, carpeted with verdure, from which shot up the light and
graceful stems of the cocoa palms. Out of the sea to the front rose the
little island of Leilei, covered with the pretty cottages of the
islanders, and crowned with a verdant mound. If this pleasant prospect
be further brightened by a magnificent day, in a delicious climate,
some notion may be formed of the sensations we experienced as we
proceeded in a sort of triumphal procession, surrounded by a crowd of
simple, gentle, kind attendants."
The number of persons accompanying the boats D'Urville estimated at
about 800. On arriving before a neat and charming village, with well
paved streets, they divided themselves, the men standing on one side,
the women on the other, maintaining an impressive silence. Two chiefs
advanced, and taking the travellers by the hand, conducted them to the
dwelling of the "Uross-ton." The crowd, still silent, remained outside
while the Frenchmen entered the chief's house. The "Uross-ton" shortly
made his appearance, a pale and shrivelled old man, bowed down under
the weight of fourscore years. The Frenchmen politely rose on his
entering the room, but they were apprised by a whisper of disapproval
from those standing about that this was a violation of the local
etiquette. The crowd in front prostrated themselves on the ground. The
chiefs themselves could not withhold that mark of respect. The old man,
recovering from a momentary surprise at the boldness of the strangers,
called upon his subjects to keep silence, then seated himself near the
travellers. In return for the trifling presents which were made to him
and his wife, he vouchsafed marks of goodwill in the shape of slight
pats on the cheek, the shoulder, or the thigh. But the gratitude of
these sovereigns was expressed only by the gift of seven so-called
"-tots-"--probably pieces of cloth--four of which were of very fine
tissue.
[Illustration: Meeting with the Chief of Ualan.]
After the audience was over the travellers proceeded to look round the
village, where they were astonished to find two immense walls made of
coral, some blocks of which were of immense size and weight.
Notwithstanding a few acts of petty theft committed by the chiefs, the
ten days during which the expedition remained at the island passed
without disturbance; the good understanding on which the intercourse
between the Frenchmen and the Ualanese was based never suffered a
moment's interruption. Duperrey remarks that "it is easy to predict
that this island of Ualan will one day become of considerable
importance. It is situated in the midst of the Caroline group, in the
course of ships sailing from New Holland to China, and presents good
ports for careening vessels, ample supplies of water, and provisions of
various kinds. The inhabitants are generous and peaceably disposed, and
they will soon be in a position to supply a kind of food most essential
to sailors, from the progeny of the sows that we left with them, a gift
which excited a very lively gratitude."
Subsequent events, however, have not verified the forecast made by
Duperrey. Although a route from Europe to China, by the south of Van
Diemen's Island, passes near the coast of Ualan, the island is of
little more value now than it was fifty years ago. Steam has completely
revolutionized the conditions of navigation. Sailors at the
commencement of the century could not possibly foresee the radical
changes which the introduction of this agent would produce.
The -Coquille- had not gone more than two days' sail from Ualan, when
on the 17th, 18th, and 23rd June were discovered several new islands,
which by the native inhabitants were called Pelelap, Takai, Aoura,
Ougai, and Mongoul. These are the groups usually called Mac-Askyll and
Duperrey, the people resembling those of Ualan, who, as well as those
of the Radak Islands, give to their chiefs the title of "Tamon."
On the 24th of the same month the -Coquille- found herself in the
middle of the Hogoleu group, which Kotzebue had looked for in too high
a latitude, the commander recognizing their bearings by means of
certain names given by the natives, which were found entered in the
chart of Father Cantova. The hydrographical survey of this group,
contained within a circumference of at least thirty leagues, was
executed by M. Blois from the 24th to the 27th June. The islands are
for the most part high, terminating in volcanic peaks; but some are of
opinion, judging from the arrangement of the lagoon, that they are of
madreporic formation. They are tenanted by a race of diminutive,
badly-shaped people, subject moreover to repulsive complaints. If ever
the converse of the phrase -mens sana in corpore sano- can find a just
application, it must be here, for these natives are low in the scale of
intelligence, and inferior by many degrees to the people of Ualan. Even
at that time foreign styles of dress appeared to have found their way
into the islands. Some of the people were wearing conical-shaped hats,
after the Chinese fashion; others had on garments of plaited straw,
with a hole in the middle to allow the head to pass through, reminding
one of the "Poncho" of the South American; but they held in contempt
such trumpery as looking-glasses, necklaces, or bells, asking rather
for axes and steel weapons, evidences of frequent intercourse with
Europeans.
The islands of Tamatan, Fanendik, and Ollap, called "The Martyrs" on
old maps, were next surveyed; afterwards an ineffectual search was made
for the islands of Namoureck and Ifelouk about the position assigned to
them by Arrowsmith and Malaspina; and then, by way of continuing the
exploration of the north side of New Guinea, the -Coquille- put in at
the port of Doreï, on the south-east coast of the island, where a stay
was made until the 9th August.
Whether estimated by the addition made to natural history, or to
geography, or to astronomy, or to science in general, no more
profitable a sojourn could have been made than this. The indigenous
inhabitants of New Guinea belong to the purest race of Papuans. Their
dwellings are huts built upon piles, the entrance to them being made by
means of a piece of wood with notches cut in it to serve for steps;
this is drawn up into the interior every night. The natives dwelling on
the coast are always at war with those in the interior, the Harfous or
Arfakis negroes.
Guided by a young Papuan, D'Urville succeeded in making his way to the
place where these last-mentioned dwelt. He found them gentle,
hospitable, courteous creatures, not in the least like the portrait
drawn of them by their enemies.
After the stay at New Guinea, the -Coquille- again sailed through the
Moluccas, put in for a short time at Sourabaya, upon the coast of Java,
and on the 30th October reached the islands of Bourbon and Mauritius.
At length, having on the way stopped at St. Helena, where the officers
paid a visit to the tomb of Napoleon, and at Ascension, where an
English colony had been established since 1815, the corvette entered
Marseilles on the 24th April, 1825, concluding a voyage that had
occupied thirty-one months and three days, over 24,894 nautical miles,
without the loss of a single life, or any cases of sickness, and
without any damage being sustained by the ship. A success in every way
so distinguished covered with glory the young commander of the
expedition and all its officers, who had manifested such untiring
energy in the prosecution of scientific inquiries, yielding a rich
harvest of valuable results.
Fifty-two charts and plans carefully drawn up; collections of natural
specimens of all kinds, both numerous and curious; copious
vocabularies, by the help of which it may be possible to throw new
light on the migrations of the Oceanic peoples; interesting
intelligence regarding the productions of the places visited; the
condition of commerce and industrial pursuits; observations relating to
the shape of the globe; magnetical, meteorological, and botanical
researches; such formed the bulk of the valuable freight of knowledge
brought home by the -Coquille-. The scientific world waited eagerly for
the time when this store of information should be thrown open to the
public.
II.
Expedition of Baron de Bougainville--Stay at Pondicherry--The "White
Town" and the "Black Town"--"Right-hand" and "Left-hand"--Malacca--
Singapore and its prosperity--Stay at Manilla--Touron Bay--The monkeys
and the people--The marble rocks of Faifoh--Cochin-Chinese diplomacy--
The Anambas--The Sultan of Madura--The straits of Madura and Allas--
Cloates and the Triad Islands--Tasmania--Botany Bay and New South
Wales--Santiago and Valparaiso--Return -viâ- Cape Horn--Expedition of
Dumont d'Urville in the -Astrolabe---The Peak of Teneriffe--Australia--
Stay at New Zealand--Tonga-Tabu--Skirmishes--New Britain and New
Guinea--First news of the fate of La Pérouse--Vanikoro and its
inhabitants--Stay at Guam--Amboyna and Menado--Results of the
expedition.
The expedition, the command of which was entrusted to Baron de
Bougainville, was, strictly speaking, neither a scientific voyage nor a
campaign of discovery. Its chief purpose was to unfurl the French flag
in the extreme East, and to impress upon the governments of that region
the intention of France to protect her nationalities and her interests,
everywhere and at all times. The chief instructions given to the
commander were that he was to convey to the sovereign of Cochin-China a
letter from the king, together with some presents, to be placed on
board the frigate -Thetis-.
M. de Bougainville was also, whenever possible, without such delays as
would prejudice the main object of the expedition, to take hydrographic
surveys, and to collect information upon the commerce, productions, and
means of exchange, of the countries visited.
Two vessels were placed under the orders of M. de Bougainville. One,
the -Thetis-, was an entirely new frigate, carrying forty-four cannons
and three hundred sailors, no French frigate of this strength, except
the -Boudeuse-, having ever before accomplished the voyage round the
world; the other, the sloop -Espérance-, had twenty carronades upon the
deck, and carried a hundred and twenty seamen.
The first of these vessels was under the direct orders of Baron de
Bougainville, and his staff consisted of picked officers, amongst whom
we may mention Longueville, Lapierre, and Baudin, afterwards captain,
vice-admiral, and rear-admiral. The -Espérance- was commanded by
Frigate-Captain De Nourquer du Camper, who, as second in command of the
frigate -Cleopatra-, had already explored a great part of the course of
the new expedition. It numbered among its officers, Turpin, afterwards
vice-admiral, deputy, and aide-de-camp of Louis Philippe; Eugène
Penaud, afterwards general officer, and Médéric Malavois, the future
governor of Senegal.
Not one notable scientific man, such as those who had been billeted in
such numbers on the -Naturalist- and other circumnavigating vessels,
had embarked upon those of Baron de Bougainville, to whom it was a
constant matter of regret, a regret intensified by the fact that the
medical officers, with so many under their care, could not be long
absent from the vessels when in port. M. de Bougainville's journal of
the voyage opens with this judicious remark:--
"It was not many years ago a dangerous enterprise to make a voyage
round the world, and scarce half a century has elapsed since the time
when an expedition of this kind would have sufficed to reflect glory
upon the man who directed it. This was 'the good old time,' the golden
age of the circumnavigator, and the dangers and privations against
which he had to struggle were repaid a hundredfold, when, rich in
valuable discoveries, he hailed on his return the shores of his native
land. But this is all over now; the -prestige- has gone, and we make
our tour of the globe nowadays as we should then have made that of
France."
What would Baron Yves-Hyacinth Potentien de Bougainville, the son of
the vice-admiral, senator, and member of the -Institut-, say to-day to
our admirable steamships of perfect form, and charts of such minute
exactitude that distant voyages appear a mere joke.
On the 2nd March, 1824, the -Thetis- quitted the roads at Brest to take
up at Bourbon her companion, the -Espérance-, which, having started
some time before, had set sail for Rio de Janeiro. A short stay at
Teneriffe, where the -Thetis- was only able to purchase some poor wine
and a very small quantity of the provisions needed; a view of the Cape
Verd Islands and the Cape of Good Hope in the distance, and a hunt for
the fabulous island of Saxemberg, and some rocks no less fictitious,
were the only incidents of the voyage to Bourbon, where the -Espérance-
had already arrived.
Bourbon was at this time so familiar a point with the navigators that
there was little to be said about it, when its two open roads of St.
Denis and St. Paul had been mentioned. St. Denis, the capital, situated
on the north of Bourbon, and at the extremity of a sloping table-land,
was, properly speaking, merely a large town, without enclosure or
walls, and each house in it was surrounded by a garden. There were no
public buildings or places of interest worth mentioning except the
governor's palace, situated in such a position as to command a view of
the whole road; the botanic garden and the "Jardin de Naturalisation,"
which dates from 1817. The former, which is in the centre of the town,
contains some beautiful walks, unfortunately but little frequented, and
it is admirably kept. The eucalyptus, the giant of the Australian
forests, the -Phormium tenax-, the New Zealand hemp-plant, the
casuarina (the pine of Madagascar), the baobab, with its trunk of
prodigious size, the carambolas, the sapota, the vanilla, combined to
beautify this garden, which was refreshed by streams of sparkling
water. The second, upon the brow of a hill, formed of terraces rising
one above the other, to which several brooklets give life and
fertility, was specially devoted to the acclimatisation of European
trees and plants. The apple, peach, apricot, cherry, and pear-trees,
which have thriven well, have already supplied the colony with valuable
shoots. The vine was also grown in this garden, together with the
tea-plant, and several rarer species, amongst which Bougainville noted
with delight the "Laurea argentea," with its bright leaves.
On the 9th June the two vessels left the roads of St. Denis. After
having doubled the shoals of La Fortune and Saya de Malha, and passed
off the Seychelles, whilst among the atolls to the south of the Maldive
Islands, which are level with the surface of the water and covered with
bushy trees ending in a cluster of cocoas, they sighted the island of
Ceylon and the Coromandel coast, and cast anchor before Pondicherry.
[Illustration: Natives of Pondicherry.]
[Illustration: Ancient idols near Pondicherry. (Fac-simile of early
engraving.)]
This part of India is far from answering to the "enchantress" idea
which the dithyrambic descriptions of writers who have celebrated its
marvels have led Europeans to form. The number of public buildings and
monuments at Pondicherry will scarcely bear counting, and when one has
visited the more curious of the pagodas, and the "boilers," whose only
recommendation is their utility, there is nothing very interesting,
except the novelty of the scenes met with at every turn. The town is
divided into two well-defined quarters. The one called the "white
town," dull and deserted in spite of its coquettish-looking buildings,
and the far more interesting "black town," with its bazaars, its
jugglers, its massive pagodas, and the attractive dances of the
bayadères.
"The Indian population upon the coast of Coromandel," says the
narrative, "is divided into two classes,--the 'right-hand' and the
'left.' This division originated under the government of a nabob
against whom the people revolted; those who remained faithful to the
prince being distinguished by the designation of 'right-hand,' and the
rest by that of 'left-hand.' These two great tribes, which divide
between them almost equally the entire population, are in a chronic
state of hostility against the holders of the ranks and prerogatives
obtained by the friends of the prince. The latter, however, retain the
offices in the gift of the government, whilst the others are engaged in
commerce. To maintain peace amongst them it was necessary to allow them
to retain their ancient processions and ceremonies.... The 'right-hand'
and 'left-hand' are subdivided into eighteen castes or guilds, full of
pretensions and prejudices, not diminished even by the constant
intercourse with Europeans which has now for centuries been maintained.
Hence have arisen feelings of rivalry and contempt, which would be the
source of sanguinary wars, were it not that the Hindus have a horror of
bloodshed, and that their temperament renders them averse to conflict.
These two facts, i.e. the gentleness of the native disposition and the
constant presence of an element of discord amongst the various tribes,
must ever be borne in mind if we would understand the political
phenomenon of more than fifty millions of men submitting to the yoke of
some five and twenty or thirty thousand foreigners."
The -Thetis- and the -Espérance- quitted the roadstead of Pondicherry
on the 30th July, crossed the Sea of Bengal, sighted the islands of
Nicobar and Pulo-Penang, with its free port capable of holding 300
ships at a time. They then entered the Straits of Malacca, and remained
in the Dutch port of that name from the 24th to the 26th July, to
repair damages sustained by the -Espérance-, so that she might hold out
as far as Manilla. The intercourse of the explorers with the Resident
and the inhabitants generally were all the more pleasant that it was
confirmed by banquets given on land and on board the -Thetis- in honour
of the kings of France and the Netherlands. The Dutch were expecting
soon to cede this station to the English, and this cession took place
shortly afterwards. It must be added, with regard to Malacca, that in
point of fertility of soil, pleasantness of situation and facilities
for obtaining all really necessary supplies, it was superior to its
rivals.
Bougainville set out again on August 26th, and was tossed about by
head-winds, and troubled alike by calms and storms during the remainder
of his passage through the straits. As these latitudes were more
frequented than any others by Malay pirates, the commandant placed
sentries on the watch and took all precautions against surprise,
although his force was strong enough to be above fearing any enemy. It
was no uncommon thing to see fly-boats manned by a hundred seamen, and
more than one merchant-ship had recently fallen a prey to these
unmolested and incorrigible corsairs. The squadron, however, saw
nothing to awake any suspicions, and continued its course to Singapore.
The population of this town is a curious mixture of races, and our
travellers met with Europeans engaged in the chief branches of
commerce; Armenian and Arabian merchants, and Chinese; some planters,
others following the various trades demanded by the requirements of the
population. The Malays, who seemed out of place in an advancing
civilization, either led a life of servitude, or slept away their time
in indolence and misery whilst the Hindus, expelled from their country
for crime, practised the indescribable trades which in all great cities
alone save the scum from dying of starvation. It was only in 1819 that
the English procured from the Malayan sultan of Johore the right to
settle in the town of Singapore; and the little village in which they
established themselves then numbered but 150 inhabitants, although,
thanks to Sir Stamford Raffles, a town soon rose on the site of the
unpretending cabins of the natives. By a wise stroke of policy all
customs-duties were abolished; and the natural advantages of the new
city, with its extensive and secure port, were supplemented and
perfected by the hand of man.
The garrison numbered only 300 sepoys and thirty gunners; there were as
yet no fortifications, and the artillery equipment consisted merely of
one battery of twenty cannons, and as many bronze field-pieces. Indeed,
Singapore was simply one large warehouse, to which Madras sent cotton
cloth; Calcutta, opium; Sumatra, pepper; Java, arrack and spices;
Manilla, sugar and arrack; all forthwith despatched to Europe, China,
Siam, &c. Of public buildings there appeared to be none. There were no
stores, no careening-wharves, no building-yards, no barracks, and the
visitors noticed but one small church for native converts.
The squadron resumed its voyage on the 2nd September, and reached the
harbour of Cavité without any mishap. Meanwhile, M. du Camper,
commander of the -Espérance- who had, during a residence of some years,
become acquainted with the principal inhabitants, was ordered to go to
Manilla, that he might inform the Governor-General of the Philippines
of the arrival of the frigates, the reasons of their visit, &c., and at
the same time gauge his feelings towards them, and form some idea of
the reception the French might expect. The recent intervention of
France in the affairs of Spain placed them indeed in a very delicate
position with the then governor, Don Juan Antonio Martinez, who had
been nominated to his post by the very Cortés which had just been
overthrown by their government. The fears of the commandant, however,
were not confirmed, for he met with the warmest kindness and most
cordial co-operation from the Spanish authorities.
Cavité Bay, where the vessels cast anchor, was constantly encumbered
with mud, but it was the chief port in the Philippine Islands, and
there the Spaniards owned a very well supplied arsenal in which worked
Indians from the surrounding districts, who though skilful and
intelligent were excessively lazy. Whilst the -Thetis- was being
sheathed, and the extensive repairs necessary to the -Espérance- were
being carried out, the clerks and officers were at Manilla, seeing
about the supply of provisions and cordage. The latter, which was made
of "abaca," the fibre of a banana, vulgarly called "Manilla hemp,"
although recommended on account of its great elasticity, was not of
much use on board ship. The delay at Manilla was rendered very
disagreeable by earthquakes and typhoons, which are always of constant
occurrence there. On October 24th there was an earthquake of such
violence that the governor, troops, and a portion of the people were
compelled hastily to leave the town, and the loss was estimated at
120,000-l-. Many houses were thrown down, eight people were buried in
the ruins, and many others injured. Scarcely had the inhabitants begun
to breathe freely again, when a frightful typhoon came to complete the
panic. It lasted only part of the night of the 31st October, and the
next day, when the sun rose, it might have been looked upon as a mere
nightmare had not the melancholy sight of fields laid waste, and of the
harbour with six ships lying on their sides, and all the others at
anchor, almost entirely disabled, testified to the reality of the
disaster. All around the town the country was devastated, the crops
were ruined, the trees--even the largest of them--violently shaken, the
village destroyed. It was a heart-rending spectacle! The -Espérance-
had its main-mast and mizen-mast lifted several feet above deck, and
its barricadings were carried off; the -Thetis-, more fortunate than
its companion, escaped almost uninjured in the dreadful tempest.
The laziness of the workpeople, and the great number of holidays in
which they indulge, early decided Bougainville to part for a time from
his convoy, and on December 12th he set sail for Cochin-China. Before
following the French to the little-frequented shores of that country,
however, we must survey with them Manilla and its environs. The Bay of
Manilla is one of the most extensive and beautiful in the world;
numerous fleets might find anchorage in it; and its two channels were
not yet closed to foreign vessels, and in 1798 two English frigates had
been allowed to pass through them and carry off numerous vessels under
the very guns of the town. The horizon is shut in by a barrier of
mountains, ending on the south of the Taal, a volcano now almost
extinct, but the eruptions of which have often caused frightful
calamities. In the plains, framed in rice plantations, several hamlets
and solitary houses give animation to the scene. Opposite to the mouth
of the bay rises the town, containing 60,000 inhabitants, with its
lighthouse and far-extending suburbs. It is watered by the Passig, a
river issuing from Bay Lake, and its exceptionally good situation
secures to it advantages which more than one capital might envy. The
garrison, without including the militia, consisted at that time of 2200
soldiers; and, in addition to the military navy, always represented by
some vessel at anchor, a marine service had been organized for the
exclusive use of the colony, to which the name of "sutil" had been
given, either on account of the small size, or the fleetness of the
vessels employed. This service, all appointments in which are in the
gift of the governor-general, is composed of schooners and gun-sloops,
intended to protect the coasts and the trading-vessels against the
pirates of Sulu. But it cannot be said that the organization, imposing
as it is, has achieved any great results. Of this Bougainville gives
the following curious illustration:--In 1828 the Suluans seized 3000 of
the inhabitants upon the coast of Luzon, and an expedition sent against
them cost 140,000 piastres, and resulted in the killing of six men!
[Illustration: Near the Bay of Manilla. (Fac-simile of early
engraving.)]
Great uneasiness prevailed in the Philippines at the time of the visit
of the -Thetis- and the -Espérance-, and a political reaction which had
steeped the metropolis in blood had thrown a gloom over every one. On
December 20th, 1820, a massacre of the whites by the Indians; in 1824,
the mutiny of a regiment, and the assassination of an ex-governor,
Senor de Folgueras, had been the first horrors which had endangered the
supremacy of the Spanish.
The Creoles, who, with the Tagalas, were alike the richest and most
industrious classes of the true native population, at this time gave
just cause for uneasiness to the government, because they were known to
desire the expulsion of all who were not natives of the Philippines;
and when it is borne in mind that they commanded the native regiments,
and held the greater part of the public offices, it is easy to see how
great must have been their influence. Well might people ask whether
they were not on the eve of one of those revolutions which lost to
Spain her fairest colonies.
Until the -Thetis- reached Macao, she was much harassed by squalls,
gales, heavy showers, and an intensity of cold, felt all the more
keenly by the navigators after their experience for several months of a
temperature of 75-3/4 degrees Fahrenheit. Scarcely was anchor cast in
the Canton river before a great number of native vessels came to
examine the frigate, offering for sale vegetables, fish, oranges, and a
multitude of trifles, once so rare, now so common, but always costly.
"The town of Macao," says the narrative, "shut in between bare hills,
can be seen from afar; the whiteness of its buildings rendering it very
conspicuous. It partly faces the coast, and the houses, which are
elegantly built, line the beach, following the natural contour of the
shore. The parade is also the finest part of the town, and is much
frequented by foreigners; behind it, the ground rises abruptly, and the
façades of the buildings, such as convents, noticeable for their size
and peculiar architecture, rise, so to speak, from the second stage;
the whole being crowned by the embattled walls of the forts, over which
floated the white flag of Portugal.
"At the northern and southern extremities of the town, facing the sea,
are batteries built in three stages; and near the first, but a little
further inland, rises a church with a very effective portico and fine
external decorations. Numerous -sampangs-, junks, and fishing-boats
anchored close in shore, give animation to the scene, the setting of
which would be much brightened if the heights overlooking the town were
not so totally wanting in verdure."
Situated as it is in the high road, between China and the rest of the
world, Macao, once one of the chief relics of Portuguese colonial
prosperity, long enjoyed exceptional privileges, all of which were,
however, gone by 1825, when its one industry was a contraband trade in
opium.
The -Thetis- only touched at Macao to leave some missionaries, and to
hoist the French flag, and Bougainville set sail again on January 8th.
Nothing worthy of notice occurred on the voyage from Macao to Touron
Bay. Arrived there, Bougainville learned that the French agent, M.
Chaigneu, had left Hué for Saigon, with the intention of there
chartering a barque for Singapore, and in the absence of the only
person who could further his schemes he did not know with whom to open
relations. Fearing failure as an inevitable result of this
-contretemps- he at once despatched a letter to Hué, explaining the
object of his mission, and expressing a wish to go with some of his
officers to Saigon. The time which necessarily elapsed before an answer
was received was turned to account by the French, who minutely surveyed
the bay and its surroundings, together with the famous marble rocks,
the objects of the curious interest of all travellers. Touron Bay has
been described by various authors, notably by Horsburgh, as one of the
most beautiful and vast in the universe; but such is not the opinion of
Bougainville, who thinks these statements are to be taken with a great
deal of reservation. The village of Touron is situated upon the
sea-coast, at the entrance of the channel of Faifoh, from the right
bank of which rises a fort with glacis, bastions, and a dry moat, built
by French engineers.
The French being looked upon as old allies were always received with
kindness and without suspicion. It had not, apparently, been so with
the English, who had not been permitted to land, whilst the sailors on
board the -Thetis- were at once allowed to fish and hunt, and to go and
come as they chose, every facility for obtaining fresh provisions being
also accorded to them. Thanks to this latitude, the officers were able
to scour the country and make interesting observations. One of them, M.
de la Touanne, gives the following description of the natives:--"They
are rather under than over middle height, and in this respect they
closely resemble the Chinese of Macao. Their skin is of a
yellowish-brown, and their heads are flat and round; their faces are
without expression, their eyes are as melancholy, but their eyebrows
are not so strongly marked as those of the Chinese. They have flat
noses and large mouths, and their lips bulge out in a way rendered the
more disagreeable as they are always black and dirty from the habit
indulged in, by men and women alike, of chewing areca nut mixed with
betel and lime. The women, who are almost as tall as the men, have not
a more pleasant appearance; and the repulsive filthiness, common to
both sexes, is enough without anything else to deprive them of all
attractiveness."
[Illustration: Women of Touron Bay.]
What strikes one most is the wretchedness of the inhabitants as
compared with the fertility of the soil, and this shocking contrast
betrays alike the selfishness and carelessness of the government and
the insatiable greed of the mandarins. The plains produce maize, yams,
manioc, tobacco, and rice, the flourishing appearance of which
testifies to the care bestowed upon them; the sea yields large
quantities of delicious fish, and the forests give shelter to numerous
birds, as well as tigers, rhinoceroses, buffaloes, and elephants, and
troops of monkeys are to be met with everywhere, some of them four feet
high, with bodies of a pearl-grey colour, black thighs, and red legs.
They wear red collars and white girdles, which make them look just as
if they were clothed. Their muscular strength is extraordinary, and
they clear enormous distances in leaping from branch to branch. Nothing
can be odder than to see some dozen of these creatures upon one tree
indulging in the most fantastic grimaces and contortions. "One day,"
says Bougainville, "when I was at the edge of the forest, I wounded a
monkey who had ventured forth for a stroll in the sunshine. He hid his
face in his hands and sent forth such piteous groans that more than
thirty of his tribe were about him in a moment. I lost no time in
reloading my gun not knowing what I might have to expect, for some
monkeys are not afraid of attacking men; but the troop only took up
their wounded comrade, and once more plunged into the wood."
Another excursion was made to the marble rocks of the Faifoh River,
where are several curious caves, one containing an enormous pillar
suspended from the roof and ending abruptly some distance from the
ground; stalactites were seen, but the sound of a water-fall was heard
from the further end. The French also visited the ruins of an ancient
building near a grotto, containing an idol, and with a passage opening
out of one corner. This passage Bougainville followed. It led him into
an "immense rotunda lighted from the top, and ending in an arched
vault, at least sixty feet high. Imagine the effect of a series of
marble pillars of various colours, some from their greenish colour, the
result of old age and damp, looking as if cast in bronze, whilst from
the roof hung down creepers, now in festoons, now in bunches, looking
for all the world like candelabra without the lights. Above our heads
were groups of stalactites resembling great organ-pipes, altars,
mutilated statues, hideous monsters carved in stone, and even a
complete pagoda, which, however, occupied but a very small space in the
vast enclosure. Fancy such a scene in an appropriate setting, the whole
lit up with a dim and wavering light, and you can perhaps form some
idea how it struck me when it first burst upon me."
On the 20th of January, 1825, the -Espérance- at last rejoined the
frigate; and, two days later, two envoys arrived from the court at Hué,
with orders to ask Bougainville for the letter of which he was the
bearer. But, as the latter had received orders to deliver it to the
Emperor in person, this request involved a long series of puerile
negotiations. The formalities by which the Cochin-Chinese envoys were,
so to speak, hemmed in, reminded Bougainville of the anecdote of the
envoy and the governor of Java, who, rivalling each other in their
gravity and diplomatic prudence, remained together for twenty-four
hours without exchanging a word. The commander was not the man to
endure such trial of patience as this, but he could not obtain the
necessary authorization of his explorations, and the negotiations ended
in an exchange of presents, securing nothing in fact but an assurance
from the Emperor that he would receive with pleasure a visit of the
French vessels to his ports, if their captain and officers would
conform to the laws of the Empire. Since 1817 the French had been
pretty well the only people who had done any satisfactory business with
the people of Cochin-China, a state of things resulting from the
presence of French residents at the court of Hué, on whom alone of
course depended the maintenance of the exceptionally cordial relations
so long established between them and the government to which they were
accredited.
The two ships left Touron Bay on the 17th February for the Anambas
Archipelago, which had not as yet been explored; and, on the 3rd of
March, they came in sight of it, and found it to bear no resemblance
whatever to the islands of the same name, marked upon the English map
of the China Sea. Bougainville was agreeably surprised to see a large
number of islands and islets, the bays, &c., of which were sure to
afford excellent anchorage during the monsoons. The explorers
penetrated to the very heart of the archipelago, and made a
hydrographic survey of it. Whilst the small boats were engaged upon
this task, two prettily built canoes approached, from one of which a
man of about fifty came on board the -Thetis-, whose breast was seamed
with scars, and from whose right-hand two fingers were missing. The
sight of the rows of guns and ammunition, however, so terrified him
that he beat a hasty retreat to his canoe, though he had already got as
far as the orlop-deck. Next day two more canoes approached, manned by
fierce-looking Malays, bringing bananas, cocoa-nuts, and pineapples,
which they bartered for biscuits, a handkerchief, and two small axes.
Several other interviews took place with islanders, armed with the
kriss, and short two-edged iron pikes, who were very evidently pirates
by profession.
Although the French explored but a part of the Anamba group, the
information they collected was extremely interesting on account of its
novelty. The first requisite of a large population is plenty of fresh
water, and there is apparently very little of it in the Anambas.
Moreover, the cultivable soil is not very deep, and the mountains are
separated by narrow ravines, not by plains, so that agriculture is all
but out of the question. Even the native trees, with the exception of
the cocoa-palm, are very stunted. The population was estimated by a
native at not more than 2000, but Bougainville thought even that too
high a figure. The fortunate position of the Anambas--they are passed
by all vessels trading with China, whichever route may be taken--long
since brought them to the notice of navigators; and we must attribute
to their lack of resources the neglect to which they have been
abandoned. The small amount of cordiality and confidence met with by
Bougainville from the inhabitants, the high price of provisions, and
the destructive nature of the monsoons in the Sunda waters, determined
him to cut short his survey and to make with all speed for Java, where
his instructions compelled him to touch. The 8th of March was fixed for
the departure of the two vessels, which sighted Victory, Barren,
Saddle, and Camel Islands, passed through the Gasper Straits--the
passage of which did not occupy more than two hours, although it often
takes several days with an unfavourable wind--and cast anchor at
Surabaya, where the explorers were met with the news of the death of
Louis XVIII. and the accession of Charles X. As the cholera, which had
claimed 300,000 victims in Java in 1822, was still raging, Bougainville
took the precaution of keeping his crew on board under shelter from the
sun, and expressly forbade any intercourse with vessels laden with
fruit, the use of which is so dangerous to Europeans, especially during
the rainy season then setting in. In spite of these wise orders,
however, dysentery attacked the crew of the -Thetis-, and too many fell
victims to it.
The town of Surabaya is situated one league from the mouth of the
river, and it can only be reached by towing up the stream. Its
approaches are lively, and everything bears witness to the presence of
an active commercial population. An expedition to the island of Celebes
having exhausted the resources of the government and the magazines
being empty, Bougainville had to deal direct with the Chinese
merchants, who are the most bare-faced robbers on the face of the
globe, and now resorted to all manner of cunning and knavery to get the
better of their visitors. The stay at Surabaya, therefore, left a very
disagreeable impression on all. It was quite different, however, with
regard to the reception met with from the chief personages of the
colony, for there was every reason to be satisfied with the conduct of
all connected with the government.
To go to Surabaya without paying a visit to the Sultan of Madura, whose
reputation for hospitality had crossed the seas, would have been as
impossible as it is to visit Paris without going to see Versailles and
Trianon. After a comfortable lunch on shore, therefore, the staff of
the two vessels set out in open carriages and four; but the roads were
so bad and the horses so worn out that they would many a time have
stuck in the mud if men stationed at the dangerous places had not
energetically shoved at the wheels. At last they arrived at Bankalan,
and the carriages drew up in the third court of the palace at the foot
of a staircase, at the top of which the hereditary prince and the prime
minister awaited the arrival of the travellers. Prince Adden Engrate
belonged to the most illustrious family of the Indian Archipelago. He
wore the undress uniform of a Java chief, consisting of a long flowered
petticoat of Indian make, scarcely allowing the Chinese slippers to be
seen, a white vest with gold buttons, and a small skirted waistcoat of
brown cloth, with diamond buttons. A handkerchief was tied about his
head, on which he wore a visor-cap, his ease and dignity of bearing
alone saving him from looking like the grotesque figure of a carnival
amazon. The palace or "kraton" consisted of a series of buildings with
galleries, kept delightfully cool by awnings and curtains, whilst
lustres, tasty European furniture, pretty hangings, glass and crystal
ornaments decorated the vast halls and rooms. A suite of private
apartments, with no opening to the court, but with a view of the
gardens, is reserved for the "Ratu" (sovereign) and the harem.
The reception was cordial, and the repast, served in European style,
was delicious. "The conversation," says Bougainville, "was conducted in
English, and many toasts were proposed, the prince drinking our healths
in tea poured from a bottle, and to which he helped himself as if it
had been Madeira. Being head of the church as well as of the state, he
strictly obeys the precepts of the Koran, never drinking wine, and
spending a great part of his time at the mosque; but he is not the less
sociable, and his talk bears no trace of the austerity to be expected
in that of one who leads so regular a life. This life is not, however,
all spent in prayer, and the scenes witnessed by us would give a very
false impression if we did not know that great latitude is allowed on
this point to the followers of the prophet."
In the afternoon the Frenchmen visited several coach-houses, containing
very handsome carriages, some of which, built on the island, were so
well-made that it was absolutely impossible to distinguish them from
those which had been imported. Some archery was then witnessed, and
joined in, after which, on the return to the palace, the visitors were
welcomed by the sound of melancholy music, speedily interrupted,
however, by the barking and fantastical dancing of the prince's fool,
who showed wonderful agility and suppleness. To this dance, or rather
to these postures of a bayadère, succeeded the excitement of
vingt-et-un, followed by well-earned repose. Next day there were new
entertainments and new exercises; beginning with wrestling-matches for
grown men and for youths, and proceeding with quail-fights, and feats
performed by a camel and an elephant. After lunch Bougainville and his
party had a drive and some archery, and witnessed sack-races,
basket-balancing, &c. In this way, they were told, the sultan passed
all his time. Most striking is the respect and submission shown by all
to this sovereign. No one ever stands upright before him, but all
prostrate themselves before addressing him. All his subjects do but
"wait at his feet," and even his own little child of four years clasps
his tiny hands when he speaks to his father.
While at Surabaya, Bougainville took the opportunity of visiting the
volcano of Brumo, in the Tengger Mountains; and this excursion, in
which he explored the island for a hundred miles, from east to west,
was one of the most interesting undertaken by him. Surabaya contains
some curious buildings and monuments, most of them the work of a former
governor, General Daendels; such are the "Builder's Workshop," the
"Hôtel de la Monnaie" (the only establishment of the kind in Java), and
the hospital, which is built on a well-chosen site, and contains 400
beds. The island of Madura, opposite to Surabaya, is at least 100 miles
in length, by fifteen or twenty in breadth, and does not yield produce
sufficient to maintain the population, sparse as it is. The sovereignty
of this island is divided between the sultans of Bankalan and Sumanap,
who furnish annually six hundred recruits to the Dutch, without
counting extraordinary levies.
On the 20th April, symptoms of dysentery showed themselves amongst the
crews. Two days later therefore the vessel set sail, and it took seven
good days to get beyond the straits of Madura. They returned along the
north coast of Lombok, and passed through the Allas Straits, between
Lombok and Sumbawa. The first of these islands, from the foot of the
mountains to the sea, presents the appearance of a green carpet,
adorned with groups of trees of elegant appearance, and upon its coast
there is no lack of good anchorage, whilst fresh water and wood are
plentiful. On the other side, however, there are numerous peaks of
barren aspect, rising from a lofty table-land, the approach to which is
barred by a series of rugged and inaccessible islands, known as Lombok,
the coral-beds and treacherous currents about which must be carefully
avoided. Two stoppages at the villages of Baly and Peejow, with a view
to taking in fresh provisions, enabled the officers to make a
hydrographical chart of this part of the coast of Lombok. Upon leaving
the strait, Bougainville made an unsuccessful search for Cloates
Island. That he did not find it is not very wonderful, as during the
last eight years many ships have passed over the spot assigned to it
upon the maps. The "Triads," on the other hand, i.e. the rocks seen in
1777 by the -Freudensberg Castle-, are, in Captain King's opinion, the
Montepello Islands, which correspond perfectly with the description of
the Danes.
Bougainville had instructions to survey the neighbourhood of the Swan
River, where the French Government hoped to find a place suitable for
the reception of the wretches then huddled together in their
convict-prisons; but the flag of England had just been unfurled on the
shores of Nuyts and Leuwin, in King George's Sound, Géographe Bay, the
little Leschenault inlet, and on the Swan River, so that there was no
longer any reason for a new exploration. Everything in fact had
combined to prevent it; the delays to which the expedition had been
subjected had indeed been so serious that instead of arriving in these
latitudes in April, they did not reach them until the middle of May,
there the very heart of winter. Moreover, the coast offers no shelter,
for so soon as the wind begins to blow, the waves swell tremendously,
and the memory of the trials which the -Géographe- had undergone at the
same season of the year was still fresh in the minds of the French. The
-Thetis- and the -Espérance- were pursued by the bad weather as far as
Hobart Town, the chief English station upon the coast of Tasmania,
where the commander was very anxious to put in. He was, however, driven
back by storms to Port Jackson, which is marked by a very handsome
lighthouse, a granite tower seventy-six feet high, with a lantern lit
by gas, visible at a distance of nine leagues.
[Illustration: Entrance to Sydney Bay.]
Sir Thomas Brisbane, the governor, gave a cordial reception to the
expedition, and at once took the necessary steps to furnish it with
provisions. This was done by contract at low prices, and the greatest
good faith was shown in carrying out all bargains. The sloop had to be
run ashore to have its sheathing repaired, but this, with some work of
less importance necessary to the -Thetis-, did not take long. The delay
was also turned to account by the whole staff, who were greatly
interested in the marvellous progress of this penal colony. While
Bougainville was eagerly reading all the works which had as yet
appeared upon New South Wales, the officers wandered about the town,
and were struck dumb with amazement at the numberless public buildings
erected by Governor Macquarie, such as the barracks, hospital, market,
orphanages, almshouses for the aged and infirm, the prison, the fort,
the churches, government-house, the fountains, the town gates, and last
but not least, the government-stables, which are always at first sight
taken for the palace itself. There was, however, a dark side to the
picture. The main thoroughfares, though well-planned, were neither
paved nor lighted, and were so unsafe at night, that several people had
been seized and robbed in the very middle of George Street, the best
quarter of Sydney. If the streets in the town were unsafe, those in the
suburbs were still more so. Vagrant convicts overran the country in the
form of bands of "bushrangers," who had become so formidable that the
government had recently organized a company of fifty dragoons for the
express purpose of hunting them down. All this did not, however, hinder
the officers from making many interesting excursions, such as those to
Paramatta, on the banks of the Nepean, a river very deeply embanked,
where they visited the Regent Ville district; and to the "plains of
Emu," a government agricultural-station, and a sort of model farm. They
went to the theatre, where a grand performance was given in their
honour. The delight sailors take in riding is proverbial, and it was on
horseback that the French crossed the Emu plains. The noble animals,
imported from England, had not degenerated in New South Wales; they
were still full of spirit as one of the young officers found to his
cost, when, as he was saying in English to Sir John Cox, acting as
cicerone to the party, "I do love this riding exercise," he was
suddenly thrown over his horse's head and deposited on the grass before
he knew where he was. The laugh against him was all the more hearty as
the skilful horseman was not injured.
Beyond Sir John Cox's plantations extends the unbroken "open forest,"
as the English call it, which can be crossed on horseback, and consists
chiefly of the eucalyptus, acacias of various kinds, and the
dark-leaved casuarinas. The next day, an excursion was made up the
river Nepean, a tributary of the Hawkesbury, on which trip many
valuable facts of natural history were obtained, Bougainville enriching
his collection with canaries, waterfowl, and a very pretty species of
kingfisher and cockatoos. In the neighbouring woods was heard the
unpleasant cry of the lyre-pheasant and of two other birds, which
feebly imitate the tinkling of a hand-bell and the jarring noise of the
saw. These are not, however, the only feathered fowl remarkable for the
peculiarity of their notes; we must also mention the "whistling-bird,"
the "knife-grinder," the "mocking-bird," the "coachman," which mimics
the crack of the whip, and the "laughing jackass," with its continual
bursts of laughter, which have a strange effect upon the nerves. Sir
John Cox presented the commander with two specimens of the water-mole,
also called the ornithorhynchus, a curious amphibious creature, the
habits of which are still little known to European naturalists, many
museums not possessing a single specimen.
Another excursion was made in the Blue Mountains, where the famous
"King's Table-land" was visited, from which a magnificent view was
obtained. The explorers gained with great difficulty the top of an
eminence, and an abyss of 1600 feet at once opened beneath them; a vast
green carpet stretching away to a distance of some twenty miles, whilst
on the right and left were the distorted sides of the mountain, which
had been rudely rent asunder by some earthquake, the irregularities
corresponding exactly with each other. Close at hand foams a roaring,
rushing torrent, flinging itself in a series of cascades into the
valley beneath, the whole passing under the name of "Apsley's
Waterfall." This trip was succeeded by a kangaroo hunt in the
cow-pastures with Mr. Macarthur, one of the chief promoters of the
prosperity of New South Wales. Bougainville also turned his stay at
Sydney to account by laying the foundation-stone of a monument to the
memory of La Pérouse. This cenotaph was erected in Botany Bay, upon the
spot where the navigator had pitched his camp.
[Illustration: "Apsley's Waterfall."]
On September 21st the -Thetis- and the -Espérance- at last set sail;
passing off Pitcairn Island, Easter Island, and Juan Fernandez, now a
convict settlement for criminals from Chili, after having been occupied
for a half-century by Spanish vine-growers.
On the 23rd November the -Thetis-, which had been separated from the
-Espérance- during a heavy storm, anchored off Valparaiso, where it met
Admiral de Rosamel's division. Great excitement prevailed in the
roadstead, for an expedition against the island of Chiloë, which still
belonged to Spain, was being organized by the chief director, General
Ramon Freire y Serrano, of whom we have already spoken.
Bougainville, like the Russian navigator Lütke, is of opinion that the
position of Valparaiso does not justify its reputation. The streets are
dirty and narrow, and so steep that walking in them is very fatiguing.
The only pleasant part is the suburb of Almendral, which, with its
gardens and orchards, would be still more agreeable but for the
sand-storms prevalent throughout nearly the whole of the year. In 1811,
Valparaiso numbered only from four to five thousand inhabitants; but in
1825 the population had already tripled itself, and the increase showed
no sign of ceasing. When the -Thetis- touched at Valparaiso, the
English frigate, the -Blonde-, commanded by Lord Byron, grandson of the
explorer of the same name, whose discoveries are narrated above, was
also at anchor there. By a singular coincidence Byron had raised a
monument to the memory of Cook in the island of Hawaii, at the very
time when Bougainville, the son of the circumnavigator, met by Byron in
the Straits of Magellan, was laying the foundation-stone of the
monument to the memory of La Pérouse in New South Wales.
Bougainville turned the delay necessary for the revictualling of his
division to account by paying a visit to Santiago, the capital of
Chili, thirty-three leagues inland. The environs of Chili are terribly
bare, without houses or any signs of cultivation. Its steeples alone
mark the approach to it, and one may fancy oneself still in the
outskirts when the heart of the city is reached. There is, however, no
lack of public buildings, such as the Hôtel de la Monnaie, the
university, the archbishop's palace, the cathedral, the church of the
Jesuits, the palace, and the theatre, the last of which is so badly
lighted that it is impossible to distinguish the faces of the audience.
The promenade, known as La Cañada, has now supplanted that of L'Alameda
on the banks of the river Mapocha, once the evening rendezvous. The
objects of interest in the town exhausted, the Frenchmen examined those
in the neighbourhood, visiting the Salto de Agua, a waterfall of 1200
feet in height, the ascent to which is rather arduous, and the Cerito
de Santa-Lucia, from which rises a fortress, the sole defence of the
town.
The season was now advancing, and no time was to be lost if the
explorers wished to take advantage of the best season for doubling Cape
Horn. On the 8th January, 1826, therefore, the two vessels once more
put to sea, and rounded the Cape without any mishap, though landing at
the Falklands was rendered impossible by fog and contrary winds. Anchor
was cast on the 28th March in the roadstead of Rio Janeiro, and, as it
turned out, at a time most favourable for the French to form an
accurate opinion alike on the city and the court.
"The emperor," says Bougainville, "was upon a journey at the time of
our arrival, and his return was the occasion of fêtes and receptions
which roused the population to activity, and broke for a time the
monotony of ordinary life in Rio, that dullest and dreariest of towns
to the foreigner. Its environs, however, are charming; nature has in
them been lavish of her riches; and the vast harbour, the Atlantic,
rendezvous of the commercial world, presents a most animated scene.
Innumerable ships, either standing in or getting under weigh, small
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