uld be reported only imperfectly by those gentlemen
who were not eye-witnesses. This want is supplied in the first part of
the present volume, which contains the Narrative by Mad. Dard, then
Mademoiselle Picard, one of the suffering party, and for the translation
of which, the Editor is much indebted to Mr Maxwell.

There is in it so much feeling and good sense, mixed with an amiable and
girlish simplicity, as to render it particularly engaging. There is also
something peculiarly gratifying to an Englishman in the reflection, that
such disaster could not have befallen almost any British crew. It was
evidently nothing but the utter and thorough selfishness which actuated
the leaders and most of those on board both of the ship and the raft,
which rendered the affair at all very serious. A wise plan formed and
acted upon, with a view to the general good, would have enabled them,
without difficulty, to save the crew, the cargo, and perhaps the vessel.
The narrative of the shipwreck and journey is also combined with the
adventures of an interesting Family, related in such a manner as to give
them a strong hold in our sympathy.

The Second Part of the Volume has an affinity to that which has now been
mentioned. The western coast of Africa, lying along a great maritime and
commercial route, and being heavily encumbered by rocks and shoals, has
been the theatre of frequent shipwrecks; and Europeans, when cast
ashore, have always experienced the most dreadful fate from the inhuman
and bigotted natives. Several relations of this nature have been lately
published, but under somewhat of a romantic and dubious aspect. That of
Brisson, here inserted, appears the most authentic, and at the same time
to present the most interesting and varied train of vicissitudes; and
although it is already not unknown to the English reader, its
republication, we presume, will not be altogether unacceptable.

The Third Relation carries them into quite a different quarter of the
world--to the shores of the mighty River of the Amazons in South
America, and to the boundless forests and deserts by which it is
bordered. We shall not anticipate the narrative of what befel Madame
Godin in her voyage down this river; but it will not probably be denied
to present as extraordinary a series of perils, adventures, and escapes,
as are anywhere to be found on record. It is drawn from the account of
the Mission of M. de la Condamine, sent, in 1743, by the French
G