AND HIS STAFF. 187 which proved useful when lie paid a visit to La Perouse at 1787-92 Botany Bay, and also when the French ships under Baudin anchored in Port Jackson while ho was Governor of the colony. He has left an interesting account in his journal* of the visit to La Perouse, to whom he was sent by Phillip a visit to La in February, 1788, with offers of assistance. He was ac- companied by Lieutenant Dawes, and the young officers were received with all the hospitality usual on such occa- sions. After they had dinfed on board the Boussole, La Perouse and his officers went on shore with them — ^at the point which now bears his name — ^where, says King — I found him quite established ; he had thrown round his tents a stockade, which was guarded by two small guns, and in which they were setting up two long-boats, which he had in frame. After these boats were built, it was the intention of M. Peyrouse LTiomme to go round New Ireland, through the Molucais, and to pass to P'^p**®* the Island of France by the Streights of Sunda. The unhappy Frenchmen did not know then that a very Mais oieu different track had been marked out for their ships on the ^^^ chart of destiny. After the party had gone through the stockade they went to the observatory, where they found the astronomer of the expedition at work in a tent; and as conversation naturally turned on scientific matters, the Frenchmen paid a well-merited compliment to Captain Cook, "^^^ ^ saying that at every place they had touched at and been near, they had found all his nautical and astronomical observations exact. La Perouse added, with the epigram- matic point characteristic of French genius : — Enfin, Monsieur Cook a tant fait qu'll ne m'a rien laiss^ a faire Finis que d admirer ses ceuvres. opus. These are the last spoken words which history has pre- served of the unfortunate Frenchman ; and King did good service to his memory when he recorded them in his notes. t Phillip lost no opportunity for promoting his friend's interests. It was at his instance, no doubt, that King was ♦ Hunter, p. 289. + Post, p. 622. Digitized by Google
