On The Death Of Baudin, Linois Directed That The Casuarina Should Be Dismantled, And Appointed Captain Milius To The Command Of Le Geographe, With Instructions To Take Her Home As Soon As Her Sick Crew Recovered And She Had Been Revictualled.

Peron, as has already been explained, had some conversation with Decaen, imparting to him the conclusion he had formulated

Relative to the secret intentions of the British for the augmentation of their possessions in the Pacific and Indian Oceans; but there is no record that Decaen saw Baudin, who was probably too ill to attend to affairs in the period between the general's arrival and his own death. It is hardly likely that Baudin, who, from his intimacy with King, knew more about British policy than the naturalist did, would have supported Peron's excited fancies.

Le Geographe sailed from Mauritius on December 15, and reached Europe without the occurrence of any further incidents calling for comment. She entered the port of Lorient on March 24, 1804. Captain Milius decided not to make for Havre, whence the expedition had sailed in 1800, in consequence of what had happened to Le Naturaliste on her return to Europe in the previous year. War was declared by the British Government against France in May, and every captain in King George's navy was alert and eager to get in a blow upon the enemy. The frigate Minerva, Captain Charles Buller, sighted Le Naturaliste in the Channel, stopped her, and insisted, despite her passport, on taking her into Portsmouth.

Enter page number Go  Previous Next
Page 246 of 299
Words from 68126 to 68379 of 83218