y ship in the same space of
time before. And yet, in all this great run, which had been made in all
latitudes between 9 deg. and 71, we sprung neither low-masts, top-mast,
lower, nor top-sail yard, nor so much as broke a lower or top-mast
shroud; which, with the great care and abilities of my officers, must be
owing to the good properties of our ship.

One of the French ships which were at anchor in the bay, was the Ajax
Indiaman, bound to Pondicherry, commanded by Captain Crozet. He had been
second in command with Captain Marion, who sailed from this place with
two ships, in March 1772, as hath been already mentioned. Instead of
going from hence to America, as was said, he stood away for New Zealand;
where, in the Bay of Isles, he and some of his people were killed by the
inhabitants. Captain Crozet, who succeeded to the command, returned by
the way of the Phillipine Isles, with the two ships, to the island of
Mauritius. He seemed to be a man possessed of the true spirit of
discovery, and to have abilities. In a very obliging manner he
communicated to me a chart, wherein were delineated not only his own
discoveries, but also that of Captain Kerguelen, which I found laid down
in the very situation where we searched for it; so that I can by no
means conceive how both we and the Adventure missed it.

Besides this land, which Captain Crozet told us was a long but very
narrow island, extending east and west, Captain Marion, in about the
latitude of 48 deg. south, and from 16 deg. to 30 deg. of longitude east of the Cape
of Good Hope, discovered six islands, which were high and barren. These,
together with some islands lying between the Line and the southern
tropic in the Pacific Ocean, were the principal discoveries made in this
voyage, the account of which, we were told, was ready for publication.

By Captain Crozet's chart it appeared, that a voyage had been made by
the French across the South Pacific Ocean in 1769, under the command of
one Captain Surville; who, on condition of his attempting discoveries,
had obtained leave to make a trading voyage to the coast of Peru. He
fitted out, and took in a cargo, in some part of the East Indies;
proceeded by way of the Phillipine Isles; passed near New Britain; and
discovered some land in the latitude of 10 deg. S., longitude 158 deg. east, to
which he gave his own name. From hence he steered to the south; passed,
but a few degrees, to the west of New Caledonia; fell in with Ne