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HISTORICAL RELATION
OF A
VOYAGE UNDERTAKEN FOR THE DISCOVERY OFSOUTHERN LANDS.
\_From the French of M. Peron, one of the NaiuraVifls hppointed ly the French Government to
accompany the Expedition,']
T HIS narrative, prefented by M. Peron to the Imperial Inftitute on the 9th of June1806, received highly flattering approbation, and from the report of the Inftitutewas ordered to be printed at the expence of government by His Majefty the Emperorand King.
CHAP. I. — The general Plan and Object of the Voyage, and the Individuals of which
the Expedition was compofed.
[From 22d March to 19th October 1800.^
F ROM the sera that difcoveries in the fciences have with juftice been placed amongthe principal evidences of the glory and profperity of nations, a liberal concurrenceamong them has become, eftablifhed, and a new career has been opened to the rivalryof governments; a rivalry the more honourable from its real utility to all. In effortsof this nature, England in particular has of late Ihewn herfelf confpicuous; and in theglorious ftruggle, France alone has been able to contend with her fuccefsfully fortriumph and fuperiority.
Neverthelefs, it muff be allowed, that the learned of England, ranging through theimmenfe field prefented by a fifth portion of the world, were, in many refpeCts, onthe point of fixing the voice of Europe in favour of their country. The fucceflivelabours of Banks , Solander, Sparman, of the two For Hers*, 1 Anderfon, Menzies, White,Smith, Collins, Paterfon, &c. began to render New Holland a fubject of intereft to,an object of the meditations of, all the friends of fcience. So many remarkable thingshad already been brought from this fouthern continent I So many were the valuableobfervations which had rapidly attracted notice!
> In fuch a ftate of things, national honour and the progrefs of fcience, with us, com-bined to claim an expedition of difcovery to the fouthern lands, and the Inftitute ofFrance conceived it a duty to propofe the meafure to the government.
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