Where Fate Beckons

French explorer and naval officer Jean-François de la Pérouse (1741-88) was, after James Cook, the greatest explorer of the Pacific in the eighteenth century. In 1785, La Pérouse was commissioned by Louis XVI to head an expedition into the uncharted regions of the Pacific Ocean. Setting out from France, the expedition over the next three years was the first to map the coasts of California, Alaska, and Siberia. From there, La Pérouse continued to Easter Island and Hawaii, where La Pérouse Bay bears his name. After a stop in Botany Bay, Australia, La Pérouse's two ships set out for the Solomon Islands. En route, they encountered a storm and were sunk; despite search efforts over the centuries, no trace of the wreckage of La Pérouse's ships has been found. Where Fate Beckonstells the story of La Pérouse's life and adventures, along the way providing a lively introduction to the world of French colonialism, the end of the Age of Exploration, and French society in the years leading to the French Revolution.Dunmore, John is the author of 'Where Fate Beckons', published 2008 under ISBN 9781602230033 and ISBN 160223003X.