Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 1 (Stockdale).djvu/23

Rh new productions, which might contribute to the advancement of the arts and ciences.

My paion for voyages had hitherto increaed, and three months pent in navigating the Mediterranean, when I went to Aia Minor, had given me ome experience of a long voyage. Hence I eized with avidity this opportunity of travering the South Seas.

If the gratification of this paion for tudy cots us trouble, the varied products of a newly dicovered region amply compenate us for all the ufferings unavoidable in long voyages.

I was appointed by the Government to make, in the capacity of naturalit, the voyage of which I am about to give an account.

My Journal, which was kept with care during the whole coure of the voyage, contained many nautical obervations; but I ought to oberve, that that part of my work would have been very incomplete, without the auxiliary labour betowed upon it by Citizen Legrand, one of the bet officers of our expedition.

I take this opportunity of tetifying my grateful remembrance of that kilful mariner, whoe los in the preent war is a ubject of regret.

When I was leaving Batavia, in order to proceed to the Ile of France, Citizen Piron, draughtman to the expedition, begged my acceptance of duplicates