Dumontd Urville

Dumont d'Urville, Jules Sebastien Cesar, was born at Conde-sur-Noireau, in Normandy, in 1790, and at the age of seventeen went to sea as a probationer in the French navy. He soon made his way in this career, and used his leisure to such purpose as to become master of several sciences and languages. In 1820, whilst surveying the Mediterranean, he discovered the Venus of Milo. In 1822 he served under Duperrey, and three years later, as captain of the Astrobale, he sailed in search of La Perouse, returning with valuable geographical information as to the southern hemisphere. His famous voyage in the South Polar Sea was begun in 1837; it resulted in the discovery of Joinville Island, Louis Philippe Land, Adelie Land, and in more exact knowledge of the Pacific groups eind the Eastern Archipelago. He had scarcely been a year at home when he was killed (1842), with his wife and son, in a railway accident near Versailles. His works include descriptions of his voyages, a summary of Magellan's travels, and an account of the flora of the Greek islands and the Black Sea.