Naturaliste’s Chaloupe (1801/06/19)

Cottesloe Beach

Géographe and the Naturaliste were two corvettes under the command of post-captain Nicolas Baudin sent by the French Government on a voyage of discovery to the south-west, west, north-west and north coasts of New Holland in 1800. The Géographe carried a number of boats, but the biggest was the longboat, known to the French as a chaloupe. There is little information on the size of this boat. However there are at least two drawings of it from which some deductions may be made. The Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle at Le Havre in France has a collection of paintings and drawings from that expedition. Item number 16090 is entitled ‘Camp on an elevated coast’ (Bonnemains, et al. 1988: 112). This depicts a longboat heading in towards a rocky shore where there is a French camp. This boat has two masts on which are set what appear to be lateen or settee sails. Baudin states in his journal that his longboat was ‘easily distinguishable because of its sails’ (Baudin, 1974: 177). The boat has a high, arched transom and is shown with six oars. On board can be seen a number of people, one of whom is standing by the aft mast.
There is another drawing/etching, held in the Musée de la Marine, Paris, which shows the Naturaliste arriving at Kupang in Timor, with the Géographe already at anchor. Alongside the Géographe is a longboat with two masts, each having furled lateen or settee sails. This boat has a man standing near the stern, and a good idea of the size of the boat can be seen from its relationship both with this person and with the corvette alongside. Driven ashore, this chaloupe was refloated afte rextensive repairs..