Praos Bouguis a la Voile. (Baie Raffles)

Rare lithograph of Bugis, Padewakangs, seen by Dumont D’Urville’s at Raffles Bay, Northern Territory.

Padewakangs  with tilted rectangular tanja sails, were the traditional boats used by the Bugis, Mandar, and Makassar people of South Sulawesi for long voyages. They  sailed for the coasts of northern Australia in search of trepang (sea cucumbers). The name Makassan (or Macassan) was used to for all the trepangers who came to Australia.

Raffles Bay is located at the eastern end of the Cobourg Peninsula, 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 trepang (sea cucumber) fishing fleet and visited their encampment. The French arrived at the 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, Voyage au Pole Sud et dans L’Oceanie.