Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 1 (Stockdale).djvu/494

462 a half, and as we knew that he had landed upon that sterile soil without provisions.

The boat, which returned about two o'clock in the afternoon, brought the dismal intelligence that he was not to be found. Captain Huon immediately waited on the Commodore, in order to concert with him the measures, which it would be adviseable to take, on this disagreeable occasion. The Commodore having sent for the naturalist Deschamps and me, Captain Huon told us the methods he had taken to recover our unfortunate colleague; stating to us the dangers to which he must necessarily be exposed, in advancing alone into the interior country, where, perhaps, he had fallen by the attacks of the savages; in short, he said, he could not but apprehend the most fatal event, believing it to be impossible that he could willingly have absented himself so long.

The nature of those burning sands, which are totally destitute of water, rendered all the conjectures, which we could form concerning him, still more melancholy.

As our stock of water was partly consumed, and we had found no means of renewing it, at that anchoring-place, Captain Huon, after representing to us the disadvantages of prolonging our stay, added, that it was evident any farther search could only injure the expedition, without expressing