particularly, it is said, could not be discovered.  The circumstance led to much apprehension of an attempt to revenge, and measures were accordingly taken to render it inefficient, but they were seemingly unnecessary.  The dangers at sea were much more formidable, and far less easily provided against.  It is perhaps quite enough to say of them, that the ships were for a considerable time in the greatest risque of being wrecked on the reef coast of the island, and that in the short space of nine days during which they were here, they lost no less than six anchors.  All this, it is probable, would have been avoided, if Bougainville had been better acquainted with the island.  His description of it, indeed, is so imperfect, and in several respects erroneous, as to be altogether void of interest to any one who peruses what we have already given on the subject, in the preceding and present volumes.  We shall accordingly pass it over, specifying only a few particulars respecting one of its natives Aotourou, who, at his own desire, accompanied Bougainville to Europe, and whose history has attracted a little notice.

This young man was the son of an Otaheitan chief, and a captive woman of the neighbouring isle of Oopoa, with the natives of which the Otaheitans often carried on war.  Immediately on Bougainville’s arrival at his native place, he expressed a determination to follow the strangers, which his countrymen seemed to applaud, and his zeal in which was so great as to overcome an attachment to a handsome girl, from whom he had to tear himself on coming aboard the ship.  Bougainville admits, that in yielding to this determination, he hoped to avail himself of one whose knowledge of the language of the people in this part of the world, was likely to be useful in the remainder of his voyage; and besides this, which perhaps was laudable enough, or at least justifiable, he entertained the supposition, rather an unlikely one indeed, that through him on his return, enriched by the useful knowledge which he would bring, a profitable union might be established betwixt these islanders and his own nation.  The immediate advantages were not considerable, for this youth’s talents were but slender, and the ultimate object was never accomplished, as he died of the small-pox in the voyage out to Otaheite.  Bougainville, notwithstanding, is deserving of credit for the care and attention he bestowed on him.  He spared neither money nor trouble to render his residence at Paris both comfortable and useful, and so far succeeded, it appears, as that during the long time Aotourou was there, he gave no symptoms of weariness.  But it is certain, on the other hand, that his advancement in useful knowledge was not very flattering to his teachers, and never equalled the favourable ideas Bougainville had entertained of his capabilities.  Mr Forster says, in a footnote to the translation, that some Englishmen who saw him at Paris, and whose testimony, were their names mentioned, would be decisive with