Jean-François-Marie de Surville
Encyclopedia
Jean-François-Marie de Surville (1717 – April 1770) was a French
trader
and navigator
.
In 1767 de Surville set sail in his ship, the St Jean Baptiste to India
to trade between the French settlements in India and China
. In 1768, while in India, de Surville heard rumours the British
had discovered a fabulously wealthy island in the South Pacific, and decided to try to find this island.
During the voyage numbers of sick and dying crewmembers forced de Surville to find a safe anchorage. De Surville followed Tasman's
charts, and headed for New Zealand
. On 12 December 1769 11:30am, the St Jean Baptiste sighted the coastline of New Zealand, soon passing James Cook's
Endeavour
, with neither ship sighting the other due to the bad weather. Surprisingly, both de Surville and Cook were navigating New Zealand waters at the same time, the only Europeans to do so since Abel Tasman
, a century earlier. The chaplain on board the St Jean Baptiste was Father Paul-Antoine Léonard de Villefeix
who conducted the first Christian service in New Zealand waters on Christmas Day 1769, in Doubtless Bay.
Later while at anchor, more bad weather damaged the ship. De Surville was forced to make substantial repairs. He ran foul of local Māori, and was forced to flee, kidnapping one of the chiefs, Ranginui.
The St Jean Baptiste continued east across the Pacific, and suffered further loss of crew through scurvy
. De Surville drowned in heavy seas off the Peru
coast, in April 1770 while seeking help for his dying crews. According to Alan Villiers, author of "Captain Cook - The Seaman's Seaman (Penguin Books - 1967, page 154), De Surville was captured by the Maori of the Bay of Islands in May of 1772 and was eaten.
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
trader
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
and navigator
Navigator
A navigator is the person on board a ship or aircraft responsible for its navigation. The navigator's primary responsibility is to be aware of ship or aircraft position at all times. Responsibilities include planning the journey, advising the Captain or aircraft Commander of estimated timing to...
.
In 1767 de Surville set sail in his ship, the St Jean Baptiste to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
to trade between the French settlements in India and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. In 1768, while in India, de Surville heard rumours the British
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
had discovered a fabulously wealthy island in the South Pacific, and decided to try to find this island.
During the voyage numbers of sick and dying crewmembers forced de Surville to find a safe anchorage. De Surville followed Tasman's
Abel Tasman
Abel Janszoon Tasman was a Dutch seafarer, explorer, and merchant, best known for his voyages of 1642 and 1644 in the service of the VOC . His was the first known European expedition to reach the islands of Van Diemen's Land and New Zealand and to sight the Fiji islands...
charts, and headed for New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. On 12 December 1769 11:30am, the St Jean Baptiste sighted the coastline of New Zealand, soon passing James Cook's
James Cook
Captain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...
Endeavour
HM Bark Endeavour
HMS Endeavour, also known as HM Bark Endeavour, was a British Royal Navy research vessel commanded by Lieutenant James Cook on his first voyage of discovery, to Australia and New Zealand from 1769 to 1771....
, with neither ship sighting the other due to the bad weather. Surprisingly, both de Surville and Cook were navigating New Zealand waters at the same time, the only Europeans to do so since Abel Tasman
Abel Tasman
Abel Janszoon Tasman was a Dutch seafarer, explorer, and merchant, best known for his voyages of 1642 and 1644 in the service of the VOC . His was the first known European expedition to reach the islands of Van Diemen's Land and New Zealand and to sight the Fiji islands...
, a century earlier. The chaplain on board the St Jean Baptiste was Father Paul-Antoine Léonard de Villefeix
Paul-Antoine Léonard de Villefeix
Paul-Antoine Léonard de Villefeix OP was a French Dominican priest. He conducted the first Christian service in New Zealand. He was the chaplain of French navigator and explorer Jean-François-Marie de Surville when de Surville, in his ship, the St Jean Baptiste, sighted the North Island of New...
who conducted the first Christian service in New Zealand waters on Christmas Day 1769, in Doubtless Bay.
Later while at anchor, more bad weather damaged the ship. De Surville was forced to make substantial repairs. He ran foul of local Māori, and was forced to flee, kidnapping one of the chiefs, Ranginui.
The St Jean Baptiste continued east across the Pacific, and suffered further loss of crew through scurvy
Scurvy
Scurvy is a disease resulting from a deficiency of vitamin C, which is required for the synthesis of collagen in humans. The chemical name for vitamin C, ascorbic acid, is derived from the Latin name of scurvy, scorbutus, which also provides the adjective scorbutic...
. De Surville drowned in heavy seas off the Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
coast, in April 1770 while seeking help for his dying crews. According to Alan Villiers, author of "Captain Cook - The Seaman's Seaman (Penguin Books - 1967, page 154), De Surville was captured by the Maori of the Bay of Islands in May of 1772 and was eaten.
See also
- WhatuwhiwhiWhatuwhiwhiWhatuwhiwhi is a settlement at the northern end of Tokerau Beach, on the Karikari Peninsula of Northland, New Zealand. To the south is Doubtless Bay. Kaitaia is about 39 km away.There are three shaded and sandy coves...
, for de Surville's encounter with Māori.