INDEX

WHO DID DISCOVER AUSTRALIA?

COLONIAL EXPLORATION


Historical Places: Encounter Bay, SA


Encounter Bay on the eastern coast of South Australia, was the meeting place of two great maritime expeditions of discovery, the British one sailing east led by Matthew Flinders, and the French one sailing west led by Nicholas Baudin. The name 'Encounter Bay' commemorates their meeting. On 8 April 1802 1802, east of Cape Jervis, Investigator sailed into a large bay. Flinders thought he was the first to visit here, but by chance, he came upon an unknown ship! The first thought was that it could have been hostile; armaments were readied. The ship was corvette Le Géographe of French explorer Nicholas Baudin which had become separated from her consort, "Le Naturaliste" by a gale in Bass Strait.

Baudin had been sent out by the Republic to make good the French claims to Southern Australia, from Western Port to Nuyt's Archipelago, which they called Terre Napoleon. Though the meeting took place before the start of the Napoleonic Wars in 1803, the two navigators were on similar missions but for different countries, and were therefore somewhat wary of each other. Nevertheless, they were still able to share their experiences amicably over breakfast before going their separate ways. The language barrier had hampered conversation somewhat, but the Investigator's botanist, Dr Robert Brown, assisted in this area (Flinders did not speak French at that time, and Baudin's English was quite poor). The meetings (late in the afternoon and the next morning) were cordial and the two captains exchanged some useful information. French naturalist Francois Péron chipped in with some comments aimed at provoking an argument, but since Baudin and Péron shared a deep hatred of each other, Baudin appears to have ignored Péron's jibes, as did Flinders.


plaque on Granite Island at the head of Victor Harbour

In his journal, Flinders recorded the meeting thus:

'Before two in the afternoon we stretched eastward again; and at four, a white rock was reported from aloft to be seen a-head. On approaching nearer, it proved to be a ship standing towards us ; and we cleared for action, in case of being attacked. The stranger was a heavy-looking ship, without any top-gallant masts up; and our colours being hoisted, she showed a French ensign, and afterwards an English jack forward, as we did a white flag. At half past five, the land being then five miles distant to the north-eastward, I hove to; and learned, as the stranger passed to leeward with a free wind, that it was the French national ship Le Géographe, under the command of captain Nicolas Baudin. We veered round as Le Géographe was passing, so as to keep our broadside to her, lest the flag of truce should be a deception; and having come to the wind on the other tack, a boat was hoisted out, and I went on board the French ship, which had also hove to.

As I did not understand French, Mr. Brown, the naturalist, went with me in the boat. We were received by an officer who pointed out the commander, and by him were conducted into the cabin. I requested captain Baudin to show me his passport from the Admiralty; and when it was found and I had perused it, offered mine from the French marine minister, but he put it back without inspection. He then informed me that he had spent some time in examining the south and east parts of Van Diemen's Land, where. his geographical engineer, with the largest boat and a boat's crew, had been left, and probably lost. In Bass' Strait captain Baudin had encountered a heavy gale, the same we had experienced in a less degree on March 21 in the Investigator's Strait. He was then separated from his consort, Le Naturaliste ; but having since had fair winds and fine weather, he had explored the South Coast from Western Port to the place of our meeting, without finding any river, inlet, or other shelter which afforded anchorage. I inquired concerning a large island, said to lie in the western entrance of Bass' Strait; but he had not seen it, and seemed to doubt much of its existence.

Captain Baudin was communicative of his discoveries about Van Diemen's Land; as also of his criticisms upon an English chart of Bass' Strait, published in 1800. He found great fault with the north side of the strait, but commended the form given to the south side and to the islands near it. On my pointing out a note upon the chart, explaining that the north side of the strait was seen only in an open boat by Mr. Bass, who had no good means of fixing either latitude or longitude, he appeared surprised, not having before paid attention to it. I told him that some other, and more particular charts of the Strait and its neighbourhood had been since published ; and that if he would keep company until next morning, I would bring him a copy, with a small memoir belonging to thein. This was agreed to, and I returned with Mr. Brown to the Investigator.

It somewhat surprised me, that captain Baudin made no enquiries concerning my business upon this unknown coast, but as he seemed more desirous of communicating information, I was happy to receive it; next morning, however, he had become inquisitive, some of his officers having learned from my boat's crew that our object was also discovery. I then told him, generally, what our operations had been, particularly in the two gulphs, and the latitude to which I had ascended in the largest ; explained the situation of Port Lincoln, where fresh water might be procured; showed him Cape Jervis, which was still in sight; and as a proof of the refreshments to be obtained at the large island opposite to it, pointed out the kangurooskin caps worn by my boat.'s crew; and told him the name I had affixed to the island in consequence. At parting, the captain requested me to take care of his boat and people, in case of meeting with them ; and to say to Le Naturaliste, that he should go to Port Jackson so soon as the bad weather set in. On my asking the name of the captain of Le Naturaliste, he bethought himself to ask mine; and finding it to be the same as the author of the chart which he had been criticising, expressed not a little surprise; but had the politeness to congratulate himself on meeting me.

The situation of the Investigator, when I hove to for the purpose of speaking captain Baudin, was 35° 40' south, and 138° 58' east. No person was present at our conversations except Mr. Brown; and they were mostly carried on in English, which the captain spoke so as to be understood. He gave me, besides what is related above, some information of his losses in men, separations from his consort., and of the improper season at which he was directed to explore this coast; as also a memorandum of some rocks he had met with, lying two leagues from the shore, in latitude 37° 1', and he spoke of them as being very dangerous. I have been the more particular in detailing all that passed at this interview, from a circumstance which it seems proper to explain and discuss in this place.

At the above situation of 35° 40' south, and 138° 58' east, the discoveries made by captain Baudin upon the South Coast have their termination to the west; as mine in the Investigator have to the eastward. Yet Mons. Péron, naturalist in the French expedition, has laid a claim for his nation to the discovery of all the parts between Western Port in Bass' Strait., and Nuyts' Archipelago ; and this part of New South Wales is called Terre Napoléon. My Kanguroo Island, a name which they openly adopted in the expedition, has been converted at Paris into L-'Isle Decrés ; Spencer's Gulph is named Golfe Bonaparte; the Gulph of St. Vincent, Golfe Joséphine; and so. on. along the whole coast to Cape Nuyts, not even the smallest island being left without some similar stamp of French discovery.

It is said by M. Peron, and upon my authority too, that the Investigator had not been able to penetrate behind the Isles of St. Peter and St. Francis; and though he doth not say directly, that no part of the before unknown coast was discovered by me, yet the whole tenor of his Chap. XV induces the reader to believe that I had done nothing which could interfere with the prior claim of the French. Yet M. Peron was present afterwards at Port Jackson, when I showed one of my charts of this coast to captain Baudin, and pointed out the limits of his discovery; and so far from any prior title being set up at that time to Kanguroo Island and the parts westward, the officers of the Géographe always spoke of them as belonging to the Investigator.

The motive for (his) aggression I do not pretend to explain. It may have originated in the desire to rival the British nation in the honour of completing the discovery of the globe; or be intended as the fore runner of a claim to the possession of the countries so said to have been first discovered by French navigators. Whatever may have been the object in view, the question, so far as I am concerned, must be left to the judgment of the world ...

I returned with Mr. Brown on board the Investigator at half past eight in the morning, and we then separated from Le Géographe; captain Baudin's course being directed to the north-west, and ours to the southward. We had lost ground during the night, and the wind was very feeble at east, so that the French ship was in sight at noon ... At the place where we tacked from the shore on the mornin of the 8th, the high land of Cape Jervis had retreated from water side, the coast was become low and sandy, and its trending was north-east; but after running four or five leagues in that direction, it curved round to the south-eastward, and thus formed a large bight or bay. The head of this bay was probably seen by Captain Baudin in the afternoon; and in consequence of our meeting here, I distinguish it by the name of Encounter Bay.'

Perhaps Flinders was diverted or distracted somewhat by the meeting with Baudin, using up some of the time that might have otherwise been devoted to a closer examination of the coastline. Because of this he and Baudin may have both missed discovering the mouth of the Murray River. After the historic encounter Flinders sailed southeastwards towards Bass Strait while Baudin sailed northwestwards to Kangaroo Island and Spencer Gulf.


Flinders' chart of Encounter Bay showing where he met Baudin.