Observatoire De La Baie Raffles.

Superb c.19th lithograph recording Dumont d’Urville visit to Raffles Bay in the corvettes Astrolabe and Zelee between 27 March and 6 April 1839 whilst on his final voyage, which resulted in the discovery of Antarctica as a continent.

Located at the eastern end of the Cobourg Peninsula, Raffles Bay was the site of the second abortive attempt at settlement on the northern coastline of Australia. It was named by Phillip Parker King in 1818 after Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, founder of Singapore. Like Flinders before him, d’Urville made contact with the Maccassar trepanging fleet and visited their encampment. Dumont d’Urville arrived at Victoria Settlement, commonly known as Port Essington, only five months after its establishment. The government intended that Port Essington be established as a major trading port like Singapore. Unfortunately, this attempt also failed and the settlement was finally abandoned in 1849.

From D’Urville, D. Voyage au Pole Sud et dans l’Océanie sur les corvettes l’Astrolabe et la Zélée, exécute par ordre du roi pendant les années 1837-1838-1839-1840...Paris

References:
Ferguson, J. A. Bibliography of Australia Volumes 1-8, Canberra 1976 : 3184.
Hill, J. The Hill Collection of Pacific Voyages. San Diego 1974 : 508.
Sabin, J. A Dictionary of Books Relating to America, from its Discovery to the Present Time. New York. (1936) 1967 : 21256.
Phillips, P. A List of Geographical Atlases in the Library of Congress. Washington 1973 : 3244.

Collections:
Bibliotheque Nationale de France: ark:/12148/bpt6k976783
National Library Australia: Bib ID 1616679
Te Papa Museum of New Zealand: RB001474
State Library New South Wales: MMS ID 991011821529702626
State Library Victoria: RARELT ; 508.3 D89
State Library South Australia: 508.3 d++
Yale University Library & Art Gallery: Call Number 1998 Folio 16