Nicolas Baudin

Commander of the French expedition (1800-1803) with the rank of Post Captain

Showing promise during his early career as an officer in the French Navy, Baudin rose to fame when he led a scientific voyage to the Caribbean on the on the Belle Angèlique (1796-1798). The expedition brought back extensive collections for the new National Museum of Natural History in Paris.

A skilled navigator, Baudin was also passionate about natural history and was a corresponding member of the Society of Observers of Man. He commanded the Gèographe and left several journals recording the voyage to Terres Australes.

Age on departure from Le Havre: 46
Died at Ile de France (Mauritius) on 16 September 1803 from tuberculosis

Engraving by Conrad Westermayer after Joseph Jauffret 1801
National Library of Australia

François Péron

Assistant zoologist with the French expedition

Péron took on the main zoological work of the French expedition following the deaths of the two key zoologists, Levillain and Maugé. He conducted ground-breaking studies in the field of marine biology and was also responsible for much of the expedition’s anthropological work. Péron compiled the official account of the expedition. Volume 1 was published in 1807; the second volume was completed by Louis Freycinet following Péron’s death.

Age on departure from Le Havre: 25
Died in Cérilly, France on 14 December 1810 from tuberculosis

Engraving by Conrad Westermayer about 1800
National Library of Australia