1739-1793

French navigator and explorer who, while in search of the lost expedition of La Pérouse, mapped the coasts of southern Australia and Tasmania. Although La Pérouse was last seen leaving Botany Bay, Australia, in 1788, d'Entrecasteaux was not dispatched from France until 1791. In spite of many discoveries, the expedition never found any trace of La Pérouse. In addition, through poor luck, d'Entrecasteaux failed to discover important parts of Australia that might have resulted in French, rather than English, colonization of that continent. D'Entrecasteaux died of scurvy on the return voyage.