The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-31
Is 1t q Relic OF La Perouse

It Is little over hundred years since
LA PERoUsE, the French explorer. and his
two ships disappeared in the Pacific Ocean.
No inklng Of their fate was discovered I'M
til nearly forty years later. In 1927 a few
relics Of the voyagers were found on the
little island Of Vanicoro. north of the New
Hebrides. and something of the tragic story
was learned.
The two vessels had been wrecked on Q
reef near the island. The crew OF one ves-
sci was lost to q man. all being drowned in
the surf or killed by the natives as they
struggled to the shore. The crew Of the
other vessel succeeded in landing. After
many moons" as the natives said. they
sailed away in two-masted boat they had
constructed out OF timbers Of the wrecked
vessels. They had left two mon behind
them. however. one Of whom had gone to
another island" while the other was made
chief OF the island. and died three years
before Capt. DILLON reached the spot and
recovered the relics that were proved be-
yond doubt to belong to the Inflated ex-
petition. Nothing has ever been heard Of
the party that took tho desperate chance of
reaching civilization again In the vessel
they built on the island where they were
castaways.
A while ago French geographers cele-
brated the centenary Of LA PERoUsEs dis
coveries In the Pacific. The publicity given
to this event has brought curious story
from Brisbane. Queensland. which is printed
in some Of tho geographical journals.
The theory is advanced that the battered
hulk OF rudely made vessel found years
ago on Temple Island. Off the coast Of
Queensland. Is the remains OF the boat in
which the LA PERoUsE party sought to
reach harbor frequented by European YES
sells. The wreck was evidently very old
In fact there was just enough Of it left to
show that it had been made by men who
either wero not well skilled In the boat
makers craft. or had wrought with made
quate tools. 1t was too large for whale
boat and too small for commerce or travel
on the high seas. Tho oldest colonists could
not remember ever seeing such craft.
The natives Of Vanicoro said that when
the white men left them in their boat they
went toward the setting sum-" Temple
Island Is about LOO miles nearly due west
Of Vanicoro. 1t is natural to suppose that
the purpose OF tho castaways was to
reach Botany Bay. the present port OF Sgd
ney. New South Wales. whence they had
started on their last tour OF discovery. Here
they would have found means to return to
Europe. Upon the theory that the wreck
at Temple Island was in fact their little
vessel. tho probability is that they were
unable to make Roadway to tho south
against the strong southeast winds, and
drove upon the barrier reefs Off Queensland
or the nei yhboring islands. whore. worn out
by their manifold hardships. they fell an
easy prey to the sanguinary savages whose
descendants. among tho worst cannlbals of
the continent. still lnhnbit that region.
A mere fragment OF the mysterious and
aged wreck found on Temple Island Is still
preserved. The fate OF LA PERoUsE will
never be clearly known. 1t was one OF the
greatest tragedies that have marked the
history Of exploration; and. chief among
these martyrs Of discovery. Sir HUGH WILL
LoUGnBY and Sir JOHN FRANKLIN In the
Arctic regions. DR.. LEICHARDr In Australia.
and LA PERoUsE In the Pacific. will always
be remembered.