Where Fate Beckons The Life of Jean-francois De La Perouse

French explorer and naval officer Jean-Franc ois de la Pe rouse (1741- 88) was, after James Cook, the greatest explorer of the Pacific in the eighteenth century. In 1785, La Pe rouse 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 Pe rouse continued to Easter Island and Hawaii, where La Pe rouse Bay bears his name. After a stop in Botany Bay, Australia, La Pe rouse'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 Pe rouse's ships has been found. "Where Fate Beckons" tells the story of La Pe rouse'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 The Life of Jean-francois De La Perouse', published 2007 under ISBN 9781602230026 and ISBN 1602230021.