that portion of the coasts "would consist, not in correcting what M. Beautems Beaupré had laid down, but in confirming and adding to the information before obtained."
The south-west headland of Western Australia, and a bay in the south of the colony, are respectively called Espérance Bay and Point D'Entrecasteaux; King George's Sound, which lies between the two, had been discovered by Vancouver about a year before the French admiral's visit.
Bishop Salvado supposes that Admiral D'Entrecasteaux had perhaps intended to have secured this part of Australia as a French possession; but, however that may have been, he did not live to carry back any account of it, and the expedition which he conducted may itself be said to have made no return voyage. The news of the massacre of Louis the Sixteenth and of the overturn of the French monarchy reached the crews of 'La Recherche' and 'L'Espérance' at a Dutch settlement in Java, subsequently to the death of their admiral, whereupon officers and men divided themselves into republican and royalist parties, the frigates were dismantled, and the voyage was declared to be at an end.[1]
The French still continued, however, to buzz like bees about the shore-line of West Australia, and a perfect shower of Gallic appellations fell upon it during the voy-
- ↑ M. de Rossel, the officer who succeeded to the command of the expedition after the death of Admiral D'Entrecasteaux, endeavoured to reach Europe in a Dutch East Indiaman, which was captured on the north of Scotland by an English frigate. Lord Spencer offered M. de Rossel employment in the Hydrographical Department of the Admiralty, where he continued until the passing of the decree which allowed the return of emigrants to France. On leaving England, M. de Rossel was permitted to carry with him copies of all the journals, charts, and observations which he had had in his possession when taken prisoner.
