CAMP WATCH: D’Urville
Kea Bradley
George Robbins
Boyd Elvy
Jessie Gatjens
Tyla-Rose Illsley-Slape
Maryanne Rimene-Solomon
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Jules Sébastien César Dumont d'Urville
Abel Tasman sailed past in 1642, James Cook saw it in a fog in 1770, but Rear Admiral Dumont
d'Urville was the first known European to anchor in its still waters in 1827 and record his
impressions of the ‘majestic scene' surrounding them.
According to John and Hilary Mitchell in Te Tau Ihu o te
Waka (Vol 1), when d'Urville anchored in Tasman Bay,
the Māori in the area were possibly Ngati Kuia and/or
Ngati Apa, with Ngāti Tumatakokiri slaves.
D'Urville noticed the distinction commenting that, "half
of these people seemed to be of high rank, judging by
their tattooing, and the distinguished appearance of
their faces."

Intro:
WHO WAS HE?

Life & Times:
HOW DID HE COME TO THE MOHUA?

Legacy:
WHAT WAS D’URVILLE’S LEGACY?

Intro:
WHO WAS HE?

Life & Times:
HOW DID HE COME TO THE MOHUA?

Legacy:
WHAT WAS D’URVILLE’S LEGACY?
Jules Sébastien César Dumont d'Urville
(23 May 1790 – 8 May 1842)
• After the death of his father when d’Urville’s was six, his mother’s brother, the Abbot of
Croisilles, took charge of his education
• The Abbot taught him Latin, Greek, speaking and philosophy
• Dumont studied encyclopedias and reports from explorers becoming very interested in them
• A naval officer, French explorer and later a rear admiral who explored the south and
western Pacific, Australia, New Zealand and Antarctica
• A botanist and cartographer he left his mark, naming plants, animals and many many places
• He was the last of the English and French explorers to NZ, following Cook, de Surville and
du Fresne
• D’Urville made three major voyages – the second one brought him to Tasman’s Bay, Cook’s
Strait and eventually his island

Intro:
WHO WAS HE?

Life & Times:
HOW DID HE COME TO THE MOHUA?

Legacy:
WHAT WAS D’URVILLE’S LEGACY?
• French looking to regain some territory in the Pacific
• European countries looking to grow scientific knowledge of
astronomy, lands, plants, animals and peoples
• D’Urville found his first way to NZ using maps made by earlier
explorers like Cook
• D’Urville was great at charting maps (cartographer)
• He still used the same instruments though as Tasman and Cook
- the compass, sextant, hourglass and careful maths
• Sailors still got very sick

Intro:
WHO WAS HE?

Life & Times:
HOW DID HE COME TO THE MOHUA?

Legacy:
WHAT WAS D’URVILLE’S LEGACY?
• Jan 1827 after 20 000 km, D’Urville’s Astrolabe (was earlier the Coquille)
came around Farewell Spit and anchored just off Marahau (Astrolabe
Roadstead)
• Twenty-six of seventy-nine crew did not make it to NZ – conditions not great
• Crew included scientists and an artist
• Stayed only six days
• They explored, charted and drew many pictures

Intro:
WHO WAS HE?

Life & Times:
HOW DID HE COME TO THE MOHUA?

Legacy:
WHAT WAS D’URVILLE’S LEGACY?
• The French had good relations with local Māori and when the Astrolabe set sail on 22 January
1827, they were given an emotional and rowdy farewell
• They sailed across Tasman Bay to Rangitoto and very carefully sailed through what is now
known as French Pass – the island of course named after him

Intro:
WHO WAS HE?

Life & Times:
HOW DID HE COME TO THE MOHUA?

Legacy:
WHAT WAS D’URVILLE’S LEGACY?
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Collectively the early explorers made New Zealand sound like paradise
D’Urville especially helped with the Tasman Bay area
Following whalers and sealers, the NZ Company (Wakefield brothers) was bringing settlers
Forestry and farming were soon going to displace Maori
D’Urville is considered the true discoverer of Tasman Bay
• Apart from a very rich scientific legacy, d’Urville left many places in NZ
with names of people and places dear to him…
•
Abel Head, Adolphe Point, Ballon Rock, Coquille Bay, Cyathea Cove,
Fisherman Island, Guilbert Point, Jules Point, Lesson Creek, Simonet
Creek, Adele Island, Observation Point, Astrolabe Roadstead, Separation
Point, French Pass, D’Urville Island and on it goes…
• Sadly he died with his whole family in the fiery Versailles train crash in 1842

REFERENCES
www.otago.ac.nz
http://history-nz.org/discovery5.html
www.Nz.etc.victoria.ac.nz
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_Dumont_d'Urville
http://www.theprow.org.nz
http://www.doc.govt.nz/Documents/conservation/historic/by-region/nelson-marlborough/abel-tasman-areahistory-whole-document.pdf