Letters [manuscript]. 1793.

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Auribeau, Alexandre d'Hesmivy d'. Letters [manuscript].

Letters [manuscript]. 1793.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/223206963

In 1791, during his reign as Emperor of France, Napoleon ordered two frigates, 'La Recherche' and 'L'Esperence', under the command of Rear-Admiral d'Entrecasteaux, in search of the ship that had sailed for Australia in 1785 under the command of M. De La Perouse. This series of letters by Alexandre d'Hesmivy d'Auribeau reveal the horrors of the voyage, detailing stores, promotions, ordinances, morale, bouts of drinking, diet, and inadequate provisioning. The letters give a full account of the death of d'Entrecasteaux, and illness and death amongst the crew. d'Auribeau details his own suffering with scurvy, which leads to his death in Surabaya in August 1794. The letters outline reasons for the choice of direction of the fleet, their inability to find conclusive evidence of the fate of La Perouse, and reasons for believing that the La Perouse voyage went missing between Botany Bay and the Friendly islands.

1 cm 19 leaves (7 letters) in 1 folder.

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