buted throughout the whole expedition with ſo much parſimony, that the ſailors loſt all their inclination for this occupation. The inſpecting officer ought to have appriſed him of the pernicious conſequences reſulting from this miſtaken piece of economy; but he neglected to do it.
The animal known by the name of meduſa velella, was induced, by the tranquil ſtate of the ſea, to riſe to the ſurface of the water, where we obſerved large numbers of this ſpecies. They were preciſely ſimilar to thoſe which I have often met with in the Mediterranean, where the ſailors conſider them very delicious eating.
The ſucceſs of our expedition depended very much upon the ſhips being ſuch as did not water; we had, however, ſcarcely left the roads of Breſt, when we were obliged to pump the veſſels. As our ſhip made three-fourths of an inch water every hour, we were under the neceſſity of pumping it twice every day. This precaution was the more indiſpenſable, as the water had already attacked our ſalt proviſions, the preſervation of which was an object of the greateſt importance on a voyage like ours. Very fortunately, that which got into the hold did not penetrate far.
The ſpace between decks was ſo much lumbered, that it laſted ſeveral months before we could find out the ſpot where it leaked, which at
laſt
