The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser., 1827-05-24
THE FATE OF Ia PEROuSE DlSCON-
Erred.

wears, TO ascertain the tate winch interrupted tue
splendid voyage Of this unfortunate traveller,
facts slould have come 10 light at tins late day,
which bid fair not only to disclose the nature Of
the disaster which bcfcl hn,, bat probably TO re-
store to their friends OF the Survivors ot the
expedition. 1t is not surprising that the fate OF
this cncrprising traveller and his companions
should have excited the most Lively interest IN
France. He was himself Of :. noble family, had
been many wears in the naval service, AMI had
distinguished himself in the American war Uc [
sailed from Brcst on the lSt OF August, 1855, on
a VOYAGE Of discovery in the Pacific Ocean, III
the frigate BouSsot, accompanied by the tiiSatc
.qstr5i4Jf, commanded by Capt. Langle, VINO
was also AN Officer Of distinguished merit. Ills
officers were among the most accomplished ~
the Roval Navy, and his crews were picked mcn.
lie was accompanied by large nnmbcr Of men
Of science, who were furnished with Instruments
of every description for the most exact ohserva-
tons All the learned societies furnished me-
moirs, and all the governments OF Europe oncl-
ed the protection and assistance OF their marine
Louis XVI. is SAID to have drawn up the ihstruc-
!, tons for the voyage with his own hand, and the
cxpedtion was regarded rs one which BID far TO
render his reign illusilons The two trgatcs
{ doubled Cape Horn, visited the SANDWICH Islands,
aili arrived ON the North West Coast OF America,
i in lat 5So North nal there discovered deep
I ing lost = man. or h4i any sickness. In an island
| in this bay 'huy took III a supply ofwood and wa
ter. and wore ,Sou, 70 take thrir departure, when
4 unfortunately t%0 boats, which were employed
| in making some surveys. were driven upon the
breakers, and every pcrson on board them was
| l0st, including six distinguished officers. They
thence proceeded southerly, accommodating the
western coast Of America, arrived AT Macao, in
January, 17S7 and afterwards At Manila
Thence they proceeded northcrly by long and
difficult track, abounlng wit islands, and ar
rived at Avascha ~ the peninsula OF kanisci,at-
ka Thence thev sailed on the lst OF October,
l7s7, 10 explore the islands OF Japan, and the
Strait which separates them from Asa On the
9th Of December a party landed on one Of the
islands, and were violently attacked by party
Of the natives, and Capt, Langle, who command
ed the party in person, was massacred with cIcv-
en- Of his men and number OF others were SC.
vercy wounded, After this La Perousc pro
ceedcd to Botany Bay, where he sailed again in
> the beginning Of the year l78S, and from tina,
time nothing had been heard ofhlm. The Jour
nal Of his expedition, up TO this pcflo,., with me
moirs and scientifical collections were sent tC
F,ance, and splendid account of the voyage
. was published in four quarto volumes. In 1871
{ the government of France sent out two vcssc
in search of the lost travellers, but they returned
without having discovered the least trace o
them, and the same fate has attended all Suhsc
qucnt inquiries.
4 hut the Paris papers just received, contain
number of autheutic documents; relating vare
ty oftacts which Justify the supposltlon that th
i place where the Two frgates ere lost has bee
T. discovered, and that within very short period a
least, some Of the survivors ofthc wreck were Sc
e in existence. The principal facts now prove'
:, are the fpllowinT:-' .aptain Dillon, who III ISL
S. was an officer on board the Bengal ship Hunter
IN Capt Robson on "a VOYAGE from Calcutta to NcN
d IIollard tte islands OF Fidii and Canton, was o
j. slore at a town called william, on the Sands
J, Wood coast when a quarrel arose, in which SC
r. yera Europeans, who were there, were nearly q
n killed. A prussan named Martin Buchcrt, VIII
,. happened TO be there, and Lascar, escape
!, from the massacre, aud with Dillon, got o
board the Hunter. requesting Capt. Robson t
put them ashore on the first land they shoul
make. Accordingly, Buchcrt and the Lasca
were landed At The island Of Tuscopia, in S. LAT
l2o 15 T.. long 100. Thilt, Ell years aftcl
s. wards, viz on the 18Th Of May, 1896 Capt. Di
is Ion, who was then in command of the ship 81
t Patrick, bound from Valparaiso to Pondichert
happened to pass in sight Of the island of Tucc
,f pia.--Excited by curiosity, and an interest tc
l. his old companions in danger, he came to bcfor
,e Tucopia, III the hope ofascertaining whether til
y. men he had landed there in 1915, were still
ta
~ shore, which came along side, containing the VI
v py I.ascar whom he had brought there, and
H. was soon followed by another canoe, contann
i; Martin Buchert the Prussian both in good heal
and overioyed to see him again. They informe
him that they had been kindly treated by the n
tives, and that they had seen no European We
sci since they had been ON the island, exec
4. two English whale ships. The Lascar had an o
hc sword hilt of silver. which he sold 10 some oftl
crew the St. Patrick for fish hooks. On inqui
respecting this article, the Prussian said that {
q his arrival in the island, he this sword hilt
H. the hands Of the natives, and also several ir'
all bolts, FIVE axes and the handle of sN .r for
of several knives. tea cups, glass beads, bottles.
he silver spoon, with cypher crowned, and swol
ny all articles Of French manufacture. The Pussi
mt said that after having become sufficient master
nd the language, he inquired whence these artcl
he came, as the Hunter the first European v.
all sel thew had ever seen. They replied that al
he proup Of islands called Malicolo, distant abo
OF two days voyage of their canoes, where til
,al made frequent voyages, they procured these
er. tices from the inhabitants, who had great qu,
m titles of them in their possession. On examini
Sc the sword hit more Ininutely, it was found
ly have the initials of La Peronse upon it. This
be cited the curiosity of Capt, Dillon still turth
at and with thu assistance of Buchcrt and the L
be car, he questioned the islanders more particul
" r.-Yacting the manner Of obtaining these q