"He will run
down the western coast and take a closer view of the southern, the
greater part of which has never been visited, finishing his survey at
Van Diemen's Land, at Adventure Bay or Prince Frederick Henry's, whence
he will make sail for Cook's Strait, and anchor in Queen
Charlotte's Sound, in that Strait, between the two islands which
constitute New Zealand."
That direction is especially important, because if Laperouse had not
perished, but had lived to carry out his programme, it is evident that
he would have forestalled the later discoveries of Bass and Flinders in
southern Australia. What a vast difference to the later course of
history that might have made!
After leaving New Zealand he was to cross the Pacific to the north-west
coast of America. The programme included explorations in the China Sea,
at the Philippines, the Moluccas and Timor, and contemplated a return
to France in July or August, 1789, after a voyage of about three years.
But although his course was mapped out in such detail, discretion was
left to Laperouse to vary it if he thought fit. "All the calculations
of which a sketch is given here must be governed by the circumstances
of the voyage, the condition of the crews, ships and provisions, the
events that may occur in the expedition and accidents which it is
impossible to foresee.
