French Naval officer and explorer whose expedition vanished in Oceania (1741-c. 1788). Fragment of the handwritten ship's log of Jean-Francois de Galaupe, comte de Laperouse, one page both sides, 7 x 7.5, November 14–21, [no year]. Laperouse records weather conditions on the high seas, and estimates the position of his ship on each day, in part (translated): "From the 14th to the 15th: Wind from the SW to the west, good fresh breeze. Very overcast and foggy. Course over the last 24 hours eastward, 1 degree 30” N. Distance—77 leagues…From the 15th to the 16th: Wind in the west, moderate breeze, shifting to the north in the afternoon. The weather cleared a little. Calm after midnight until 5 o’clock in the morning, when the wind shifted to the south, very foggy, and after that to the SW, picking up considerably. Course over the last 24 hours eastward, 1/4 NE, 2 degrees east. Distance: 35 1/2 leagues, Estimated latitude 47 degrees 18, Longitude 25 degrees 20.
From the 16th to the 17th: Wind in the SW, near gale. At night I took in all my sails and ran under the foresail. Before that I was scudding at twelve knots under the four large sails, with the two topsails struck on the cap. Around 10 o’clock in the evening the wind shifted to the west, and at midnight to the NW. The weather cleared then, still blowing a near gale. During the day, the wind dropped and shifted to the north and as far as the NNE. I obtained a reliable bearing…
From the 19th to the 20th: Wind in the west, near gale. I steered west to reach the latitude of Geroiye. I reached it at 2 o’clock, and I set course eastward, toward a ship that was to the north. In the evening, I dropped a sounding-line and could not find a bottom. During the night, there was an extremely violent hard gale from the SW. I was forced to run under bare poles, and about eleven o’clock, the weather still continuing to look bad and blowing a hard gale, I went adrift and lay to the wind under the fore staysail. In the morning, the wind shifted to the WNW and dropped. It was still blowing considerably, for which reason I chose to drift, since the weather was clear. At 10 o’clock I saw two brigantines laying to the wind under the foresail. I continued my course running before the wind under the foresail and the main topsail." In fine condition. Accompanied by a full translation.
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