Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 1 (Stockdale).djvu/24

xviii duplicates of his drawings of the drees of the natives, which he had made in the coure of the voyage. I do not heitate to aure my readers, that thoe works of his pencil are triking likenees.

I have endeavoured to report, in the mot exact manner, the facts which I witneed during this painful voyage, acros eas abounding with rocks, and among avages, againt whom it was neceary to exert continual vigilance.

General Dentrecateaux received the command of the expedition. That officer requeted from the Government two hips of about five hundred tons burden. Their bottoms were heathed with wood, and then filled with cupper nails. It was not apprehended that this mode would diminih their velocity, and it was thought that it would add to the olidity of their contruction. It is, however, acknowledged that hips heathed and bottomed with copper may be contructed with equal olidity, and that they have greatly the advantage in point of ailing. Thoe hips received names analogous to the object of the enterprize. That in which General Dentrecateaux embarked, was called the Recherche (Reearch), and the other, commanded by Captain Huon Kermadec, received the name of the Eperance (the Hope). The