During his third voyage round the world, he also visited the same regions in the year 1777. Some of the inhabitants realised the fables, of old, by shy'. tering themselves in the trunks of large trees excca vated by fire ,while the exterior was sound, and vege tation continued. Such were their sole habitations. He anchored a considerable time in Adventure Bay in Van Diemen's Land, and then made the coast of New Zealand, where he obtained numerous interest ing illustrations of the nature of the country, and the manners and disposition of its inhabitants. Austral asia was less the object of this voyage than the north-west coast of America, for which he departed in the end of February.
While new countries were sought for with such avidity in the southern latitudes of Australasia, tome of .the northern ones were also explored. Captain Forrest, an intelligent navigator, undertook a voyage from India, the leading design of which was to as certain the practicability of forming a settlement on an island near the northern promontory of Borneo. This voyage was performed in a vessel of only ten tons, between the years 1774 and 1776. Captain For rest examined the north coast of Waygiou, extend ing fifteen leagues, the extremity of which is imme diately under the line, and he anchored in Offak har bour in 10' N. latitude, and 127° 44' E. longitude: After visiting several small islands, the inhabitants of which are so well provided with natural produc tions as to neglect the cultivation of the earth, he gained Dory harbour, on the north coast of Papua. When he lay off the mouth of it, the natives came on board, having their hair, which was sometimes orna mented with feathers, extended to such an uncom mon size, that the largest circumference of it mea sured about three feet, and the least about two and a half. The hair of the women was disposed after a si milar fashion, though not expanded to such a degree ; and only the left car was pierced, in which were sus pended small rings. Their great houses were built on posts, several yards within' low water mark, and capacious enough to contain many families under the same roof. The men and women wore little clothing, and the boys and girls went entirely naked. 'The people of Papua and the neighbouring islands are accustomed to war, and they have been known to collect such a considerable force as to alarm the Dutch for the safety of their colonial possessions. The natural history of ,these islands has been illustrated by M. Sonnerat, who, nearly about this period, spent some years among them. Birds of paradise frequent them, and are regarded as valuable articles of traffic. M. Son nerat obtained six different species, four of which he has engraved. In Valentyn's history of the East Indies, there is a long and minute account of these birds, copied by Captain Forrest, and, since his time, by other authors. M. Sonnerat represents the Pa puans as brave and warlike, but cunning, cruel, and treacherous. Their aspect is hideous and terrific, and most of them disfigured by cutaneous disorders.
With the different countries which they inhabit, it may he observed, we are very little acquainted : They are nearly the most northern of Australasia.
Don _Francis Anthony Maurelle, during a voyage in 1781, where expedition was principally in view, crossed the line towards the northern parts of New Guinea, and steered a south-east course through, some portion of Australasia. He discovered an island, the north coast of which extended eleven leagues, ap parently in about 150° of longitude east of Paris, and between 2° and 3° of south latitude. The natives resembled the negroes of Guinea, in colour, hair, lips, and eyes. They seemed to be in great want of sub sistence, and to draw their supplies chiefly from the sea. Their only arms were bows and arrows, the latter pointed with clumsy pieces of flint. This island was called Maurelle by Don Joseph Basco, and two of six others, discovered on the same day, he called St Michael and Jesus Maria. He fixed the position of Mathias island at 144° 54' east of Paris, and steering through different clusters of islands on the north of New Ireland, he appears to have approached the Arsacides, and advanced towards Candlemas Shoals. But the particulars of his voyage are so indistinctly narrated, that we cannot positively ascertain either the discoveries which lie made, or the countries which he visited.
In the years 1786 and 1787, La Perouse navigated some portion of Australasia. The only accounts we have of his NMI-age were transmitted by means of M. Lesseps from Botany Bay.
In July 1788, three ships, commanded by Lieute nant Shortland, sailed from Botany Bay for England. Owing to the advanced state of the season, he resol ved, instead of steering a southern course, to go to the northward, and either pass through Endeavour Straits to the north of New Holland, or go round the east coast of New Guinea. Not long after leaving the settlement, he fell in with an island called Simboo by its natives. Tbey invited him on shore, sheaving him different kinds of provisions as incitement ; but the length of the voyage precluded his compliance with theif solicitations. Standing on his course, he discovered other islands, and entered a strait ; and supposing himself the first navigator who had pene trated it, he called it Shortland's Straits. It is unne cessary for us to examine the further progress of his voyage; for M. Fleurieu, in a learned critical discus sion on the subject, has proved, that Simboo is the same as Choiseul island ; the straits, those before call ed Bougainville's Straits rand the other islands, part of the lands of the Arsacides. Thus, whatever geo graphical illustrations may arise from Lieutenant Shortland's observations, they cannot be ranked among the discoveries of modern navigators. Nor should this occasion our regret, because, in claim ing the credit of priority to his countrymen, M. Fleu rieu has rendered essential services to the geography of Australasia.