Vanikoro: looking for Lapérouse...
Par teddy, dans ENGLISH -# 34 - Fil RSS
On March 15th, 1788, after two and a half years of navigation through many oceans, the expedition led by Jean-François Galaup, count of Lapérouse ended in a violent storm below the cliffs of the island of Vanikoro in the Solomon archipelago. In April, 2005, the biggest expedition ever organized to look for Lapérouse since Dumont Durville in 1827, landed on the island of Vanikoro. In the same spirit as the century of enlightenment, Vanikoro 2005 was a multidisciplinary expedition of scientists embarked aboard Jacques Cartier, a French naval vessel. Archaeologists, a geometrician, geophysicist, entomologist, linguist, writer, painter, doctor, dendrochronologist, so many specialists, all united around the same purpose, to investigate the «mystery of Lapérouse». During the wreck of 1788, both expedition vessels, «l'Astrolabe» and «La Boussole» sank, one on the site known as «la fausse passe», (the false paasage) and the other one on the site known as «la faille» (the rift). It is on the vessel contained in this rift that the researches essentially concentrated this year. One of the key questions whose answer depended on successfully identifying the wreck was whether Mr. De Lapérouse was one of the survivors who lived for several months on the island after the wreckings. Only the sailors who were aboard the ship which ran aground on the false pass would have been able to survive; the violence of the wreck in the rift leaves no doubt as to the disastrous fate of its crew. So the discovery, this year of a sextant signed by M. Mercier supported the hypothesis that the wreck in the rift is probably «La Boussole» the flagship commanded by Lapérouse. Other navigational instruments such as the azimuth compass, as well as personal objects belonging to the scientific staff such as the astronomical telescope belonging to Lepaute d' Agelet the astronomer, show that this expedition was equipped with all the latest examples of 18th century technology.
Henri, archaeologist makes a drawing of a cannon before it'll extracted from its pedestal of coral.
The mine clearance experts divers worked throughout the construction site to extract the blocks of coral which threatened the divers safety. / The sextan is doubtless the amblematique object of this last campaign of research.
Discovery of the compass.
Marie Noel, draftswoman of the DRASSM makes a statement of a Chinese porcelain dish found on "La Boussole". / Olivia Hulot, archaeologist of the DRASSM (UNDERWATER ARCHAEOLOGIST RESEARCH DEPARTEMENT) realizes the index card of identification of one of numerous bottles found on "La Boussole". everything find in the rift was inventoried like that.
Sextan inscription, signed by M. Mercier comes to close two siecles of research and hypothesis about wesel's name fond inthe rift. This sextan was given by M. Mercier to royal navy and embarked aboard "La Boussole" before living.
Sextan inscription, signed by M. Mercier comes to close two siecles of research and hypothesis about wesel's name fond inthe rift. This sextan was given by M. Mercier to royal navy and embarked aboard "La Boussole"before living.
little bronze cannon fond inside the rift where "La Boussole" crashed.
Gone up the cannon of Astrolabe by Atlantic diver and mine clearance expert. / The rift in which " La Boussole " fell to pieces in the daytime of the wreck.
The first one rotations of "Valiants" on the working site.
Compass fond on "La B oussole" wreck.
Identical to this one found on the wreck of " La Boussole " in the rift, this compass is still used by sailors of "Jacques Cartier".
Michel L'Hour, archaeologist of the DRASSM and espedition leader analise inscriptions on compass.
Since the discovery of "French camps" in 1999, Jean christophe Galipaud and his team continued the researches about the survivors of the Astrolabe in Vanikoro island.
The village of Païou, correspont in the place where survivor of the wreck have certainly established their camp before leaving.
"Jacques Cartier" in Vanikoro lagoon.
Michel L'Hour.
Elisabeth Veyra.
Inauguration ceremony of the monument in memories of the sailors dead in the wreck of 1788; 180 years after Dumont D' Urville who had already set up an identical monument to pay homage to Lapérouse.
Chef Tommas, in front of the Lapérouse monument set up by Dumont D' Urville in 1827.
Jean-Chritophe Galipaud and Hervé Delort, Commander of Jacues Cartier vessel, is arriving to Vanikoro to present their homages to the local leader.
The meteorological conditions on Vanikoro island are very hard.so we imagine then the violence with which, during one of these tropical tempest, the boats of Lapérouse met itself in perdition in front of the rift.
Yann, fouilleur of Salomon association, and Michel, archaeologist of DRASSM, clean up a little boxe containing small scalpels, belonging certainly has a scientist aboard "La Boussole".
sailors of Jacques Cartieris going up a little cannon discovered on the wreck of "La Boussole".
Elisabeth Veyra, the french ambassador in Solomon Island, Alain Conan and Michel L' Hour around the little cannon just gone up.
Païou vilage.
Alexandre François, ethnolingiste of the NATIONAL CENTRE FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, collect the histories in oral tradition of Vanikoro island about the Lapérouse wreck.
All team of the DRASSM, meets themself every evening, in the bottom of Jacque Cartier for analiser informations collected during the day and to prepare futur dives.
At the end of the day, the land teams leave Vanikoro to the Jacques Cartier.
Commentaires
Aucun commentaire pour le moment.
Ajouter un commentaire
Les commentaires pour ce billet sont fermés.