La Pérouse Expedition: King Louis XVI's Lost Voyage of Discovery
A French expedition led by La Pérouse in 1785, tasked by King Louis XVI to explore the Pacific, vanished after initial successes, with wreckage later found in the Solomon Islands.
King Louis XVI of France asked me to lead an expedition around the world. Our goal was to study geography, science, people, politics, and the economy in the Pacific Ocean. I had 200 men with me, including three scientists, an astronomer, a doctor, and three artists.
We left Brest, France, on August 1, 1785. We sailed on two ships, La Brújula and El Astrolabio. These ships were equipped with the latest technology, turning them into floating observatories and laboratories.
After a quick stop in Madeira, we arrived in Santa Cruz de Tenerife on August 19, 1785. We visited the Commander General, Marquis of Branciforte, who was the governor of the Canary Islands. He was very friendly to us during our stay.
We set up an observatory on the dock to check our ships' clocks and adjust them using our astronomical clocks. We also made observations about latitude and longitude. We loaded 60 barrels of wine onto each ship because it was cheaper there than in Madeira. While we were busy with this, our scientists climbed Mount Teide with some of the officers.
Mr. de La Martinière, the expedition's botanist, collected plants along the way. He found some interesting plants that could be grown in the Languedoc region of France. One example was a type of broom that he thought could be used for firewood and goat pasture. Mr. Robert de Paul, a doctor, mineralogist, and meteorologist, measured the height of Mount Teide using a barometer. He calculated it to be 3,708 meters.
Lamanon described the crater of the volcano as a sulfur mine, about 50 fathoms long and 40 fathoms wide. It sloped steeply from west to east. On the edges of the crater, there were vents releasing hot, acidic vapors. The inside of the crater was covered in yellow, red, and white clay, as well as partially decomposed lava rocks. Under these rocks, he found beautiful sulfur crystals.
Mr. de Monneron, an engineer, hired eight men and seven mules to carry his equipment. He climbed Mount Teide to compare his height measurements with those taken at sea level. He found the terrain easier than he expected, reaching a high plain in one day. However, the guides refused to go further because the mules hadn't had water for 72 hours. He couldn't convince them to stay, so he had to abandon his work. On August 30, we set sail, loaded with supplies for the South Seas islands.
Jean-François de Galaup, Count of La Pérouse (1741-1788), joined the French Royal Navy at 15. He proved his skills fighting the British during the American Revolutionary War.
King Louis XVI recognized his abilities and put him in charge of this expedition in 1785. The mission was to map the coasts from South America to Alaska, explore the Pacific islands, and visit China, the Philippines, and Australia. His discoveries provided important information about geography and marine life.
His disappearance, along with his crew, shocked France. The French government sent a search mission, starting at his last known location in Botany Bay (modern Sydney) on March 10, 1786. The ships were headed for the islands of Tonga. In 1827, the remains of his ships were found on the island of Vanikoro (Solomon Islands), confirming that they had shipwrecked on a reef.
The records and maps brought back from Australia were published, providing valuable information for future expeditions.