Celebrated Travels and Travellers Vol 2 First part chapter II - Captain Cook’s predecessors part 3a

Jules Verne (0:01)

CHAPTER VIII of Celebrated Travels and Travellers, Volume 2 Celebrated Travels and Travellers, Volume 2 The recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, Please visit librivox.org. Recording by Malone.

Celebrated Travels and Travellers, Volume 2 Great Navigators of the Eighteenth Century by Jules Verne First part CHAPTER II PART III CAPTAIN COOK'S PREDECESSORS 3A Bougainville, a notary's son metamorphosed, colonization of the Malouine islands, Buenos Aires and Rio Janeiro, the Malouine relinquished to the Spaniards, hydrography of the Strait of Magellan, the Percheray, the Catra Thacardius, Tahiti, incidents of the stay there, productions of the country and manners of the inhabitants, Samoa islands, the land of the Holy Spirit or the New Hebrides, the Louisiades, the Anchorite Isles, New Guinea, Bouton, from Batavia to Saint-Malo.

Whilst Wallace completed his voyage round the world, and Cartourette continued his long and hazardous circumnavigation, a fresh expedition was organized for the purpose of prosecuting new discoveries in the southern seas. Under the old regime, when all was arbitrary, titles, rank, and places were obtained by interest. It was therefore not surprising that a military officer, who left the army scarcely four years before with the rank of Colonel, to enter the Navy as a captain, should obtain this important command. Strangely enough, this singular measure was amply justified, thanks to the talents possessed by the favored recipient. Louis Antoine de Bougainville was born at Paris on the 13th of November 1729 The son of a notary, he was destined for the bar, and was already an advocate. But having no taste for his father's profession, he devoted himself to the sciences, and published a treatise on the integral calculus, whilst he obtained a commission in the Black Musketeers. Of the three careers he thus entered upon, he entirely abandoned the first two, slightly neglected the third, for the sake of a fourth, diplomacy, and finally left it entirely for a fifth, the naval service. He was destined to die a member of the Senate after a sixth metamorphosis.

First aide-de-camp to Chevray, then secretary of the embassy in London, where he was made a member of the Royal Society, he left Brest in 1756, with the rank of Captain of Dragoons, to rejoin Montcalm in Canada. Becoming aide-de-camp to this general, he distinguished himself on various occasions, and obtained the confidence of his chief, who sent him to France to ask for reinforcements.

That unhappy country was just then overwhelmed with reverses in Europe, and had need of all her resources. Therefore when young Bougainville entered upon the object of his mission to M de Choiseul, the minister answered brusquely, When the house is on fire, one does not worry oneself about the stables.

At least, replied Bougainville, no one can say that you speak like a horse.

This sally was too witty and too stinging to conciliate the minister. Ultimately Madame de Pompadour, who appreciated witty people, introduced Bougainville to the king, and although he did not succeed in obtaining much for his general, he gained a colony and the Order of Saint-Louis for himself, although he had only seen seven years' service.

Returning to Canada, he was anxious to justify Louis Cattel's confidence and distinguished himself in various matters. After the loss of his colony, he served in Germany under Monsieur de Choiselle Stainville.

His military career was cut short by the Peace of 1763 His active spirit and love of movement rebelled against a garrison life. He conceived the strange idea of colonizing the Falkland Islands in the extreme south of South America, and of conveying there, free of expense, the immigrants from Canada who had settled in France to escape the tyrannous yoke of England. Carried away by this idea, he addressed himself to certain privateers at Saint-Malo, who, from the commencement of the century, had been in the habit of visiting the group, and who had named them Maluene Islands. Having gained their confidence, Bougainville brought the advantages, however problematical, of this colony to the Minister's notice, maintaining that the fortunate situation of the island would secure a good resting place for ships going to the southern seas. Having high interest, he obtained the authority he desired, and received his nomination as ship captain. It was the year 1763 There is little reason to suppose that marine officers, who had passed all the grades of the service, looked with gratification upon an appointment which no past event justified. But that mattered little to the Minister of Marine, Monsieur de Choise-Stainville. Bougainville had served under him, and was far too grand a personage to trouble himself about the grumbling of ship's officers. Bougainville, having brought his uncle and cousin, Monsieur de Nerville and Dr. Boulin, to look favorably upon his venture, caused the Eagle of Twenty Guns and the Sphinx of Twelve to be built at Saint-Malo, under the auspices of Monsieur Guizot duclos. Upon these he embarked several Canadian families. Leaving Saint-Malo on the 15th of September, 1763, he rested at St. Catherine's Island, on the coast of Brazil, and at Monte Vidal, where he took horses and cattle, and landed at the Malouine in a large bay, which appeared to him wholly suited to his purpose, but he was not long in discovering that what he had taken by preceding navigators for woods of moderate height were only reeds. Not a tree, not a shrub grew in the islands. Fortunately, an excellent turf did for fuel in their stead, whilst fish and game offered good resources.