new productions, which might contribute to the advancement of the arts and ſciences.
My paſſion for voyages had hitherto increaſed, and three months ſpent in navigating the Mediterranean, when I went to Aſia Minor, had given me ſome experience of a long voyage. Hence I ſeized with avidity this opportunity of traverſing the South Seas.
If the gratification of this paſſion for ſtudy coſts us trouble, the varied products of a newly diſcovered region amply compenſate us for all the ſufferings unavoidable in long voyages.
I was appointed by the Government to make, in the capacity of naturaliſt, the voyage of which I am about to give an account.
My Journal, which was kept with care during the whole courſe of the voyage, contained many nautical obſervations; but I ought to obſerve, that that part of my work would have been very incomplete, without the auxiliary labour beſtowed upon it by Citizen Legrand, one of the beſt officers of our expedition.
I take this opportunity of teſtifying my grateful remembrance of that ſkilful mariner, whoſe loſs in the preſent war is a ſubject of regret.
When I was leaving Batavia, in order to proceed to the Iſle of France, Citizen Piron, draughtſman to the expedition, begged my acceptance of
duplicates
