Jean-François de Galaup, count de La Pérouse

Jean François Galaup, count (comte) de La Pérouse (August 23, 1741{{ref|novaresio_birthyear}} - 1788) was a French naval officer and explorer whose expedition vanished in Oceania.

Scientific expedition

La Pérouse was appointed in 1785 to lead an expedition to the Pacific. His ships were the Astrolabe and the Boussole{{ref|novaresio_shipNames}}, both 500 tons. They were storeships, reclassified as frigates for the occasion.

Related Topics:
1785 - Pacific - Frigate

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La Pérouse was a great admirer of James Cook, tried to get on well with the Pacific islanders, and was well-liked by his men. Among his 114 man crew there were ten scientists: Dagelet, an astronomer and mathematician, Lamanon, a geologist, La Martinière, a botanist, a physicist, three naturalists, and three illustrators, Duché de Vancy and the Prévosts (uncle and nephew).{{ref|novaresio_scientists}} Even both chaplains were scientifically schooled.

Related Topics:
James Cook - La Martinière - Duché de Vancy - Prévost

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Alaska

He left Brest on August 1 1785,{{ref|novaresio_expeditionStartDate}} rounded Cape Horn, investigated the Spanish colonial government in Chile,{{ref|novaresio_chile}} and, by way of Easter Island(where he stayed for only two days) and Hawaii{{ref|novaresio_islands}}, sailed on to Alaska, where he landed near Mount St. Elias in late June 1786{{ref|novaresio_alaska}} and explored the environs. On July 13, 1786, a barge and two longboats, carrying 21 men, were lost in the heavy currents of the bay called Port des Français by La Pérouse, but now known as Lituya Bay.{{ref|novaresio_frenchPort}} Next he visited Monterey, arriving on September 14, 1786.{{ref|novaresio_monterey}} He examined the Spanish settlements and made critical notes on the treatment of the Indians in the Franciscan missions.

Related Topics:
Brest - August 1 - 1785 - Cape Horn - Spanish - Chile - Easter Island - Hawaii - Alaska - Mount St. Elias - 1786 - July 13 - Lituya Bay - Monterey - September 14 - Indians - Franciscan

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He again crossed the Pacific Ocean in 100 days, arriving at Macao, where he sold the furs acquired in Alaska, dividing the profits among his men.{{ref|novaresio_macao}} The next year, on April 9, 1787,{{ref|novaresio_macaoLeaveDate}} after a visit to Manila, he set out for the northeast Asian coasts. He saw the island of Quelpart (Cheju), which had been visited by Europeans only once before when a group of Dutchmen shipwrecked there in 1635. He visited the mainland coast of Korea, then crossed over to Oku-Yeso (Sakhalin).

Related Topics:
Pacific Ocean - Macao - Alaska - April 9 - 1787 - Manila - Cheju - 1635 - Korea - Sakhalin

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Japan and Russia

The inhabitants had drawn him a map, showing their country, Yeso (also Yezo, now called Hokkaido) and the coasts of Tartary (mainland Asia). La Pérouse wanted to sail through the channel between Sakhalin and Asia, but failed, so he turned south, and sailed through La Pérouse Strait (between Sakhalin and Hokkaido), where he met the Ainu, explored the Kuriles, and reached Petropavlovsk (on Kamchatka peninsula) on September 7 1787.{{ref|novaresio_petropaylosk}} Here they rested from their trip, and enjoyed the hospitality of the Russians and Kamchatkans. In letters received from Paris he was ordered to investigate the settlement the British were to erect in New South Wales. Barthélemy de Lesseps, the French vice consul at Kronstadt, who had joined the expedition as an interpreter, disembarked to bring the expedition's letters and documents to France, which he reached after a year-long, epic journey across Siberia and Russia.{{ref|novaresio_recordsAtRussia}}

Related Topics:
Yeso - Yezo - Hokkaido - Tartary - Asia - Sakhalin - La Pérouse Strait - Ainu - Kuriles - Petropavlovsk - Kamchatka peninsula - September 7 - 1787 - Russian - New South Wales - Barthélemy de Lesseps - Kronstadt - France - Siberia - Russia

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Pacific

His next stops were in the Navigator Islands (Samoa), on December 6 1787.{{ref|novaresio_samoaDate}} Just before he left, the Samoans attacked a group of his men, killing twelve of them, among which were Lamanon and de Langle, commander of the Astrolabe. Twenty men were wounded.{{ref|novaresio_samoaAttack}} The expedition continued to Tonga and then to Australia,{{ref|novaresio_tonga}} arriving at Botany Bay on 26 January 1788, just as Captain Arthur Phillip moved the colony from Botany Bay to Port Jackson. The British received him courteously, but were unable to help him with food as they had none to spare. La Pérouse sent his journals and letters to Europe with a British ship, the Sirius{{ref|novaresio_sirius}}, obtained wood and fresh water, and left for New Caledonia, Santa Cruz, the Solomons, the Louisiades, and the western and southern coasts of Australia. Although he wrote that he expected to be back in France by December 1788, neither he nor any of his men was seen again. Fortunately, before he set sail, de Galaup had sent the valuable written details of his expedition to Paris where it was published posthumously.

Related Topics:
Samoa - December 6 - 1787 - Tonga - Australia - Botany Bay - 26 January - 1788 - Arthur Phillip - Port Jackson - Sirius - New Caledonia - Santa Cruz - Solomons - Louisiades - Paris

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