New Zealand, 1826-1827

1950

Brasch DU419 DW27

Wellington: Wingfield Press

L’Astrolabe was a strong, three-masted warship. French naval officer, explorer and scientist, Dumont D’Urville sailed her south into the Pacific, visiting many places along the way. On the 28th January, 1827, D’Urville took the ship through the dangerous French Pass at the top of the South Island of New Zealand. Early that morning he had climbed a nearby bluff and had decided that ‘it could be navigated if great precautions were taken.’ This image captures the experience. The scientific observations made on this expedition furnished many volumes on topics such as zoology, meteorology and hydrographics to name but a few; some of the specimens collected are still housed in the Natural History Museum in Paris.