Narrative of a Voyage Round the World: in the Uranie and Physicienne Corvettes, Commanded by Captain Freycinet ... 1817, 1818, 1819, and 1820

1823

Hocken Library Bliss KU Ara

London: Treuttel and Wurtz, Treuttel, Jr., and Richter

In 1800, Louis de Freycinet served under Nicolas Baudin, who was sent by Napoleon to explore Australia and the South Seas. Freycinet was back in the Pacific in L’Uranie during 1817-20, undertaking what was the most important scientific voyage of exploration by the French in the 19th century. On board was artist Jacques Arago, who was able ‘to collect a variety of observations on the manners, arts, customs, and habits of the different nations’ encountered (Preface). His account is extremely witty, and in an effort to offer readers ‘agreeable information’, he avoided the repetition of ‘tiresome nautical details’ such as wind, dead calm, and tacking. Here is his head and shoulders portrait of a Hawaiian chief, possibly from Oahu.