Nlle. Hollande: Baie des Chiens-Marins. Nid Gigantesque Trouve sur L’Ile Dirck-Hatichs.

Louis de Freycinet, cartographer on the earlier ill-fated Baudin voyage returned to the west coast of Australia as commander of the Uranie with instructions to concentrate primarily on scientific work of a broad nature, unlike earlier French voyages whose main intent was exploration. Freycinet anchored at Shark Bay on 12 September 1818 where a boat party was sent to Dirk Hartog Island to collect the famous pewter plate which Freycinet had first seen in 1801 whilst serving aboard the Naturaliste. The ship and crew remained at Shark Bay for two weeks and the three views which record this visit are amongst the finest engraved images produced of Western Australia. From Freycinet’ Voyage autour du Monde … Historique.