Chapter I: French Navigators

I.

Discoveries by Bouvet de Lozier in the Southern Seas--Surville--
Land of the Arsacides--Incident during the stay at Port
Praslin--Arrival off the Coast of New Ireland--Surville's
death--Marion's discoveries in the Antarctic Ocean--His massacre
in New Zealand--Kerguelen in Iceland and the Arctic Regions--The
Contest of the Watches--Fleurien and Verdun de la Crenne . . . . 209

II.

Expedition under command of La Perouse--St. Catherine's Island--
Conception Island--Sandwich Islands--Survey of the American
Coast--Fort des Francais--Loss of two boats--Monterey and the
Indians of California--Stay at Macao--Cavite and Manilla--En
route for China and Japan--Formosa--Quelpaert Island--The Coast
of Tartary--Ternay Bay--The Tartars of Saghalien--The
Orotchys--Straits of La Perouse--Ball at Kamtchatka--Navigator
Archipelago--Massacre of M. de Langle and several of his
companions--Botany Bay--Cessation of news of the expedition--
D'Entrecasteaux sent in search of La Perouse--False News--Strait
of D'Entrecasteaux--The Coast of New Caledonia--Land of the
Arsacides--Natives of Bouka--Stay at Port Carteret--Admiralty
Islands--Stay at Amboine--Lewin Land--Nuyts Land--Stay in
Tasmania--Fete in the Friendly Islands--Details of La Perouse's
visit to Tonga Tabou--Stay at Balado--Traces of La Perouse's
Voyage to New Caledonia--Vanikoro--Sad end of the Expedition . . 241

III.

Voyage by Captain Marchand--The Marquesas--Discovery of
Nouka-Hiva--Manners and Customs of the people--Revolution
Islands--The American Coast and Tchinkitane Port--Cox's
Straits--Stay in the Sandwich Islands--Macao--Deception--Return
to France--Discoveries by Bass and Flinders upon the Australian
coast--Expedition under Captain Baudin--Endracht and De Witt
Lands--Stay at Timor--Survey of Van Diemen's land--Separation of
the _Geographe_ and _Naturaliste_--Stay at Port Jackson--The
Convicts--Pastoral riches of New South Wales--Return of the
_Naturaliste_ to France--Cruises by the _Geographe_ and
_Casuarina_ to Nuyts, Edels, Endracht and De Witt Lands--Second
Stay at Timor--Return to France . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294

CHAPTER II. AFRICAN EXPLORERS.

Shaw in Algeria and Tunis--Hornemann in the Fezzan--Adanson in
Senegal--Houghton in Senegambia--Mungo Park and his two journeys
to the Djoliba or Niger--Sego and Timbuctoo--Sparmann and Le
Vaillant at the Cape, at Natal, and in the interior--Lacerda at
Mozambique and Cazembe--Bruce in Abyssinia--The Sources of the
Blue Nile--Tzana Lake--Browne's Voyage in Darfur . . . . . . . . 320

CHAPTER III. ASIA AND ITS INHABITANTS.

Tartary according to Witzen--China according to the Jesuits and Du
Halde--Macartney in China--Stay at Chu-Sang--Arrival in Nankin--
Negotiations--Reception of the Embassy by the Emperor--Fetes and
ceremonies at Zhe Hol--Return to Pekin, and Europe--Volney--
Choiseul Gouffier--Le Chevalier in the Troade--Olivier in
Persia--A semi-Asiatic country--Russia according to Pallas . . . 361

CHAPTER IV. THE TWO AMERICAS.

The Western Coast of America--Juan de Fuca and De Fonte--The three
voyages of Behring and Vancouver--The exploration of the Straits
of De Fuca--Survey of the Archipelago of New Georgia and a
portion of the American Coast--Exploration of the interior of
America--Samuel Hearn--Discovery of the Coppermine River--
Mackenzie, and the river named after him--Fraser River--Journey
of Humboldt and De Bonpland--Teneriffe--Guachero cavern--The
"Llanos"--The electric eels--The Amazon, Negro, and Orinoco
rivers--The earth-eaters--Results of the journey--Humboldt's
second journey--The Volcanitos, or Little Volcanoes--The cascade
at Tequendama--The bridges of Icononzo--Crossing the Quindiu on
men's backs--Quito and the Pinchincha--Ascent of Chimborazo--The
Andes--Lima--The transit of Mercury--Exploration of Mexico--
Mexico--Puebla and Cofre de Perote--Return to Europe . . . . . . 380