In The Course Of This Voyage He Examined The
North Coast Of Waygiou; And After Visiting Several Small Islands, He
Arrived On The North Coast Of Papua.
The next accessions that were made to our geographical knowledge of
Australasia, are derived from the voyage in search of La Peyrouse.
The
object of La Peyrouse's voyage was to complete the discoveries made by
former navigators in the southern hemisphere: in the course of this voyage
he navigated some portion of Australasia; but where he and his crew
perished is not known. As the French government were naturally and very
laudably anxious to ascertain his real fate, two vessels were despatched
from France in the year 1791, for that purpose. In April, 1792, they
arrived within the limits of Australasia: after having examined Van
Diemen's Land, they sailed along an immense chain of reefs, extending
upwards of 3OO miles on the east coast of New Caledonia. As Captain Cook
had confined his survey to the north, they directed their attention to the
south-west coast. After visiting some islands in this sea, they arrived at
New Ireland, part of which they carefully explored. In 1793, after having
visited New Holland, they sailed for New Zealand; and near it they
discovered an island which lies near the eastern limit of Australasia: to
this they gave the name of Recherche. The New Hebrides, New Caledonia, and
New Britain, were also visited and examined; near the coast of the last
they discovered several mountainous islands. Beside the accessions to our
geographical knowledge of Australasia which we derived from this voyage, it
is particularly valuable "on account of the illustrations of the natural
history of the different countries, and the accuracy with which the
astronomical observations were made." It is worthy of remark that the two
ships lost nearly half their men; whereas, British navigators have been out
as long, in a climate and circumstances as unfavourable to health, and have
scarcely lost a single man.
At the beginning of this century, the French government planned a voyage of
discovery, the chief object of which was to explore the seas of
Australasia. Those parts of New Holland which were entirely unknown, or but
imperfectly ascertained, were to be examined; the coast of New Guinea to be
surveyed, principally in the search of a strait which was supposed to
divide it into two parts; a passage by Endeavour Straits to the eastern
point of the Gulf of Carpentaria was to be attempted; and then the
expedition was to sail to Cape Northwest. Besides these objects in
Australasia, the Indian Ocean was to be navigated.
Two vessels, the Geographe and Naturaliste, sailed on this expedition in
October, 1800; but they did not by their discoveries add much that was
important to the geography of Australasia. They indeed have made known to
future navigators, reefs and shoals on the coast of New Holland; have fixed
more accurately, or for the first time, some latitudes and longitudes
belonging to this and other parts of Australasia, and have traced some
small rivers in New Holland. They also confirmed the accuracy and justice
of preceding observations in several points; particularly relative to the
singular fineness of the weather, and serenity of the heavens in these
seas.
Their greatest discovery undoubtedly consisted in a great archipelago,
which they named after Bonaparte: the islands that composed it were in
general small; some volcanic or basaltic; others sandy. After examining
these, they were obliged to return to Timor, in consequence of the sickness
of their crews. After they were recovered, they returned to the grand
object of their expedition, which, though interesting and important to the
navigator, or to the minute researches of the geographer, presents nothing
that requires to be noticed in this place.
Such is the sum of the additions to our geographical knowledge of
Australasia which has resulted from the voyages of discovery during the
last one hundred years. The great outline, and most of the subordinate
parts, are filled up; and little remains to be discovered or ascertained
which can greatly alter our maps, as they are at present drawn. Additions,
however, will gradually be made; errors will be corrected; a stronger and
clearer light will be thrown on obscure points. Much of this will be done
by the accidental discoveries and observations of the many ships which are
constantly sailing from England to New Holland; or which trade from the
latter country to New Zealand or other parts of Australasia, to India, or
to China. By means of these voyages, additions have already been made to
our knowledge, especially of New Zealand; and its inhabitants are beginning
to feel and acknowledge the benefits which must always be derived from the
intercourse of civilized people with savages.
Polynesia, extending from the Pelew Isles on the west, to the Isle of All
Saints on the north-east, and the Sandwich Isles in the east, and having
for its other boundaries the latitude of 20 deg. north, and of 50 deg. south, near
the latter of which it joins Australasia, is the only remaining division of
the globe which remains to come under our cognizance, as having been
explored by maritime expeditions; and as it consists entirely of groups of
small islands, we shall not be detained long in tracing the discoveries
which have been made in these seas.
The Pelew Islands, one of the divisions of Polynesia, though they probably
had been seen, and perhaps visited by Europeans before 1783, were certainly
first made completely known to them at this period, in consequence of the
shipwreck of Captain Wilson on them. The Sandwich Isles, the next group,
have been discovered within the last century by Captain Cook, on his last
voyage. The Marquesas, discovered by Mandana, were visited by Captain Cook
in 1774, by the French in 1789, and particularly and carefully examined
during the missionary voyage of Captain Wilson in 1797. Captain Wallis, who
sailed with Captain Carteret in 1766, but was afterwards separated from him
in his course across the South Pacific, discovered several islands,
particularly Otaheite; to this and the neighbouring islands the name of
Society Isles was given.
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