return for the one dozen and a half I had borrowed from the missionaries when at that place.

On the 2d instant I wrote to the colonial secretary, informing him of the difficulty I experienced in negociating my bills, and requesting him to submit my case to the governor, that he might order the necessary advances, to prevent the vessel being detained.

A gentleman, just arrived by the brig Hind, which left Hobart Town on the 29th ultimo, informed me that the French sloop of war Astrolabe was at anchor in the river when she sailed, and that the officers had been sumptuously entertained by the local authorities there. How different was the treatment I had experienced!

9th. Having been very unwell, I was not able to go ashore the last three days. Yesterday one of the governor's people came on board, to ascertain what provisions and stores were required, and their value; and I found he was also instructed to examine the remains of the wrecks procured at Mannicolo. Not being able to attend him, I requested he would call on board to-day, when a list of the things required should be made out. This person was accompanied on board to-day by another gentleman, for whose inspection I directed all the articles from Mannicolo to be arranged; with which he expressed himself to be much gratified, and de

clared them to be such as to set all doubt at rest with respect to the nature of the discovery.

14th. I received a letter last evening from the colonial secretary, informing me that the governor was pleased to allow me £500 in cash for my bills. This being inadequate to the ship's expenses, I supposed my real wants had been misrepresented by the person sent to report on them. I therefore wrote to the colonial secretary that the Research's monthly expenses were between £1,000 and £1,200, that with the greatest economy I should require the former sum, and requested that the opinion of two respectable ship-owners might be taken as to the sum absolutely necessary to fit out the ship.

19th.-At 8 o'clock yesterday evening I received a letter from the colonial secretary, apprizing me that the treasurer had received instructions to advance me for my bills on the Bengal government, £1,000. I lost no time this morning in proceeding to the office: but so many forms had to be gone through that I was detained from 10 till 3 in the afternoon, when I received a check which I immediately placed in the hands of my agents, with directions to procure the necessary supplies with all despatch.

28th.-Being ready to sail last evening, I directed the pilot to come on board this morning.

Within the last fortnight the ship had been

visited by a number of respectable and scientific persons to get a sight of the relics of the immortal la Pérouse's ships. Among the most 'distinguished were Sir M. Jamieson, the Rev. Mr. Marsden, and Colonel Lindsay, with most of the officers of his Majesty's 39th Regiment. I found much difficulty in retaining the piece of ornamented wood-work of the ship's stern: had it been cut up into small splinters, they would all have been carried off, so great was the avidity to obtain a portion. John Gonsalvo, the seaman who discovered this piece of wood, died last night of the disease with which nearly the whole of the European part of my crew were afflicted after quitting Mannicolo. He was the sixth individual who had died on board since leaving Bengal.

31st. Having waited the arrival of Captain d'Urville several days, and understanding he sailed from Hobart's Town on the 3d instant, I concluded he had been induced by the governor and his party, from no friendly feeling towards me, to proceed direct to Tucopia, where of course he would meet with Bushart, and hear of my success; or should he touch at the Bay of Islands, he would there find the three seamen who were with me at Mannicolo, and assisted in recovering the relics. But it can scarcely be supposed a gentleman so expeperienced as the commander of the Astrolabe

could expect to meet with me at New Zealand, if he calculated the period I reached there, and the time required to make the passage from Hobart's Town to that place, which at this season could not be performed in less than fifteen days. This would make the date of his arrival: the 18th of January, including a lapse from the 5th of November of seventy-four days: an unconsionable delay that hardly any circumstances would have justified. Hence it might be feared Captain d'Urville's entertainers had taught their guest to avoid meeting M. Chaigneau and me, for reasons best known to themselves.

Feb. 1st.-At daylight began to heave up the anchor. At 10 A.M. a strong breeze set into the harbour from the north-eastward: we had to make several tacks, and at noon got clear to sea. Having determined to return to India by the passage through Bass's Straits, I shaped my course for Cape Howe. In passing out to sea I found the ship Ephemina, lately arrived from Canton, lying between the heads, in the very situation the Research was ordered to quit, under pretence that it was unsafe to leave vessels there on account of the desperate character of the convicts, who might cut them out and run away with them; also that it afforded opportunities for smuggling. Here a Chinese merchantman, the most likely to smuggle or be cut out, was trusted to lay, though the Research,

a ship of war mounting sixteens guns, and carrying eighty men, was not considered safe. The harbour authorities knew we had nothing to smuggle from Tucopia; but that the Ephemina was from China, and might have a few chests of tea to get on shore!

Before clearing the heads, two seamen be longing to the ship requested their discharge, to which I consented, and landed them and their baggage at the pilot's station. One of them was a very good seaman: I was therefore sorry to part with him; but the state of his health from the Mannicolan fever was such as to render him unserviceable, and the surgeon was of opinion he ought to remain on shore for his I gave him the recommendation his good conduct merited. The other was anidle fellow, whose misconduct had compelled me to suspend him.

recovery.

At 14 P.M. the entrance to Botany Bay bore west from the ship, distant four miles. At 7 P.M. Hat Hill bore W.N.W. per compass, and the five islands W.S. There were fine steady breezes throughout the night, with which I proceeded alongshore under all sail to the south ward.

3d. At 5. A.M. having got to the southward of Cape Howe, I steered to the south westward for the entrance of Bass' Straits. The latitude at noon was 38° 53′ S., longitude 149° 30' E.