VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY OF SOUTHERN LANDS.
93 8
to continue the voyage with us, together with Meffrs. Bougainville , the fon, Maurouardand Brue, midffipmen of the firft clafs: thefe three gentlemen had the misfortune toincur the pointed hatred of our commander, and were condemned by him in confe-quence to this fpecies of tranfportation, as well as our fecond physician, M. Taillefer,the fame whofe devotion to the fielief of our fick has before been noticed *.
Thefe fad and laft arrangements made, we fet fail on the 18 th of November in themorning, after a flay at New South Wales of one hundred and fifty-two days. Before,however, I refume the hiftory of our voyage, it feems to me the more requifite I fhouldexhibit the refult of my experiments on the phyfical ftrength of the lavages of thecounty of Cumberland, as this object is connected with feveral matters already knownto the reader.
CHAP. XX. — Experiments on the phyfical Strength of the Savages of Diemen's Land,
New Holland , and the Inhabitants of Timor ; on that of the French , and Englijh.
THAT fingular mra is ftill frefh in the memory of all, in which individuals of cele-brity, carried away by an ardent imagination, and foured by misfortunes infeparablefrom focial life, were feen to exclaim againft that ftate, mifprize its advantages, andaferibe, on the contrary, to favages all the fources of happinefs and every principle ofvirtue. Their fatal eloquence unfettled the public mind ; for the firfl time, men offenfe were heard to lament the progrefs of civilization, and figh for that wretchedcondition rendered illuftrious by the feduftive title of a ftate of nature. Happily,modern voyages, by making us fucceffively acquainted with fo many nations of favages,have enabled us to appreciate the value of thefe vain fophifms ; in this inftance, our ex-pedition will have rendered material fervice to found philofophy.
Of all the advantages which the panegyrifts of the ftate of nature attributed tofavages, that on which they rnoft efpecially and molt generally infilled was fuperiorftrength. The confequence and companion of health, ftrength, indeed, if it were theexclufive appendage, or even if it were more peculiarly the endowment of the favagewould certainly have given to him a title to preference, and have deprived the civilizedcondition of life of one of the molt allured pledges of happinefs. Hence have thedetractors of the focial fyftem declaimed with all the powers of eloquence on thefuppofed degradation in this refpect of civilized man, and have endeavoured to eftab-lilh their opinion as a fundamental principle. Till now, indeed, means were wanting offatisfactory contradiction by an exaft comparifon of the ftrength of different individualsand nations, and no direct experiments to this effect could confequently be made.M. Coulomb, in his memoir fubmitted to the Inftitute in the year 6, had only for objectto determine the quantum of daily labour which Frenchmen could affedt according tothe different modes of applying their ftrength. Prevented by circumftances from pro-fecuting them hiinfelf, this illuftrious naturalift was only enabled to point out to othersthe experiments which fhould be made on other people, and the various modificationswhich climate and the quality of the food were likely to occafion in their degrees offtrength. We lhall have occafion Ihortly to demonftrate by our experiments how jufthis opinions were on this fubject. This portion of the hiftory of man, at the time of our
* It is pleafing for one to be enabled to add, that our three companions, as foon as they arrived inEurope , were promoted to lieutenancies ; and that all have rendered themfelves confpicuous in late engage-ments. As to M. Taillefer, His Exccllancy Vice Admiral Deeres, minifter of the navy, by caufing himto be appointed by His Majefty the Emperor, furgeon-major of the battalion of marines of the Imperialguard, nobly rewarded his lervices.
' departure