I. ASTRONOMERS AND CARTOGRAPHERS. PAGE Cassini, Picard, and La Hire--The Meridian line and the map of France--G. Delisle and D'Anville--The shape of the earth-- Maupertuis in Lapland--Condamine at the Equator . . . . . . . . 3 II. VOYAGES IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY. Expedition of Wood Rogers--Adventures of Alexander Selkirk-- Galapagos Island--Puerto Seguro--Return to England--Expedition of George Anson--Staten Island--Juan Fernandez--Tinian--Macao-- Taking of the vessel--Canton river--Results of the Cruise . . . 13 CHAPTER II. CAPTAIN COOK'S PREDECESSORS. I. Roggewein--Scanty information respecting him--The uncertainty of his discoveries--Easter Island--The Pernicious Islands--Bauman Islands--New Britain--Arrival at Batavia--Byron--Stay at Rio Janeiro and Port Desire--Entrance into Magellan's Strait-- Falkland Islands and Port Egmont--The Fuegians--Mas-a-fuero-- Disappointment Islands--Danger Islands--Tinian--Return to Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 II. Wallis and Carteret--Preparations for the Expedition--Difficult Navigation of the Strait of Magellan--Separation of the _Dauphin_ and _Swallow_--Whitsunday Island--Queen Charlotte's Island--Cumberland and Henry Islands--Otaheite--Howe, Boscawen, and Keppel Islands--Wallis Islands--Batavia--The Cape--The Downs--Discovery of Pitcairn, Osnaburgh, and Gloucester Islands by Carteret--Santa Cruz Archipelago--Solomon Islands--St. George's Strait and New Ireland--Portland Island and the Admiralty Islands--Macassar and Batavia--Meeting with Bougainville in the Atlantic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 III. Bougainville--Changes in the life of a Notary's son--Colonization of the Falkland Islands--Buenos Ayres and Rio Janiero--Cession of the Falkland Islands to Spain--Hydrographical Survey of the Straits of Magellan--The Pecherais--The Four Facardins-- Otaheite--Incidents of stay there--Productions of the country and manners of the people--Samoan Islands--Tierra del Santo Espirito or the New Hebrides--The Louisiade--Anchorite Islands--New Guinea--Buotan--From Batavia to St. Malo . . . . . 71 CHAPTER III. CAPTAIN COOK'S FIRST VOYAGE. I. The beginning of his maritime career--The command of the _Adventure_ entrusted to him--Tierra del Fuego--Discovery of some islands in the Pomotou Archipelago--Arrival at Otaheite-- Manners and Customs of the inhabitants--Discovery of other islands in the Society group--Arrival off New Zealand-- Interview with the natives--Discovery of Cook's Strait-- Circumnavigation of two large islands--Manners of the people and productions of the country . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 II. Survey of the Eastern Coast of Australia--Botany Bay--Wreck of the _Endeavour_--Crossing Torres Straits--Return to England . . 125 CHAPTER IV. CAPTAIN COOK'S SECOND VOYAGE. I.