the public, were decidedly of opinion, that Aotourou was naturally a stupid fellow, an opinion, it seems, in which his own countrymen unanimously concurred.  The amount of his improvements, even on Bougainville’s own evidence, was, his scarcely blabbering out some French words, his finding his way through Paris, his hardly ever paying for things beyond their real value, and his perfectly well knowing the days of the opera, to the amusements of which he shewed an excessive partiality.  These degrees of refinement, it must be allowed, do not indicate superlative talents; yet, if one may judge from the advancement in Frenchification made by many who have visited Paris from other countries, they may not depreciate the docility of poor Aotourou, much below the common average!  He embarked at Rochelle in 1770, on board the Brisson, which was to take him to the Isle of France, whence, by orders of the ministry, he was to be conveyed home, which, as already mentioned, he never reached.

At eight in the morning of the 16th of April, the ships were about ten leagues N.E. by N. off the north point of Otaheite, from which point, Bougainville now took his departure.  He got sight of some land in the vicinity on the same day, and shaped his course so as to avoid what Roggewein called the Pernicious Isles.  During the remainder of this month, the weather continued very fine, and the winds were chiefly from the east inclining to the north.  In the first week of May, several islands were discovered, which Bougainville divided into two clusters, calling one the Archipelago of Bourbon, and the other the Archipelago of the Navigators.  Some of them, it is probable, had been known before, as the ascertained longitude corresponded tolerably well with that which Abel Tasman gave for the isles of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, &c. bad weather came on the 6th of this month, and continued with scarcely any interruption till the 20th, during which period, calms, rains, and westerly winds were to be encountered.  The situation of the ships had now become very distressing.  There was a scarcity of water and wholesome provisions; the scurvy broke out among the crew, and several men were affected with venereal symptoms, the consequence, it is said, of infection got at Otaheite.  Hence it is asked, but by no means is the affirmative reply distinctly asserted, if the English brought it there?  This subject has been discussed with tolerable freedom in another part of this work, and need not be resumed here.  Such critical circumstances induced Bougainville to use all possible speed in getting to some place of refreshment, and of course materially interfered with his plan of making discoveries.