This fascinating account of a French expedition in search of the lost explorer La Pérouse offers a window into the early days of modern oceanic exploration. Written by one of the expedition's naturalists, it includes detailed descriptions of the Australian coast and natural history, as well as encounters with indigenous peoples and British colonizers. The story of La Pérouse and his fate captured the imagination of Europe in the late 18th century, and this book provides a firsthand account of the search for his legacy. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.