BAUDIN'S LAST BREATH
It's a novel with three heroes - the
ancient mariner, the contemporary
deckhand, and the mighty and
unforgiving ocean. A missing skull,
a chest of secret papers - and a
swashbuckling French sea captain.
These are the ingredients from
which ex-seaman Victor Barker
constructs the story of Nicolas
Baudin - the man Napoleon
Bonaparte personally chose to
explore the unknown coasts of
Australia. Seaports and sailor's
loves become inextricably entwined
as the author finds himself face to
face with the long dead French
captain and taking part in his
storm-tossed travels, joining a
re-creation of the Paris Opera in the
jungles of Timor, seeing the theft
from the Aborigines' sacred site in
Tasmania, and hearing Captain
Baudin's secret confessions. Insight
is at last given into the traumatic
events that took place in Mauritius
and changed this ex slave-runner
into a man of principle who forbade
the use of firearms against the
Aborigines and told the British to
respect the native owners' rights.
This is the French captain who had
a surprise encounter with England's
Captain Matthew Flinders, meeting
at sea and wining and dining whilst
their countries were making war.
This seagoing narrative starts and
finishes in the heart of Paris, taking
in South Africa, Mauritius, Timor
and Australia en route. Not to
mention a startling exchange
between poets Samuel Coleridge
and William Wordsworth.
ancient mariner, the contemporary
deckhand, and the mighty and
unforgiving ocean. A missing skull,
a chest of secret papers - and a
swashbuckling French sea captain.
These are the ingredients from
which ex-seaman Victor Barker
constructs the story of Nicolas
Baudin - the man Napoleon
Bonaparte personally chose to
explore the unknown coasts of
Australia. Seaports and sailor's
loves become inextricably entwined
as the author finds himself face to
face with the long dead French
captain and taking part in his
storm-tossed travels, joining a
re-creation of the Paris Opera in the
jungles of Timor, seeing the theft
from the Aborigines' sacred site in
Tasmania, and hearing Captain
Baudin's secret confessions. Insight
is at last given into the traumatic
events that took place in Mauritius
and changed this ex slave-runner
into a man of principle who forbade
the use of firearms against the
Aborigines and told the British to
respect the native owners' rights.
This is the French captain who had
a surprise encounter with England's
Captain Matthew Flinders, meeting
at sea and wining and dining whilst
their countries were making war.
This seagoing narrative starts and
finishes in the heart of Paris, taking
in South Africa, Mauritius, Timor
and Australia en route. Not to
mention a startling exchange
between poets Samuel Coleridge
and William Wordsworth.
Author's Note:
I was in Paris, having a drink
at the Australian Embassy,
when somebody mentioned
Nicolas Baudin.
I'd never heard of him - but it
was almost as though he had
heard of me.
From that moment on, this
long dead French sea captain
haunted me. Wherever I went,
his name would crop up. And
though I heard a lot about him
there were bits missing in his
history - intriguing bits.
Then I was taken ill and
rushed into the emergency
ward of the Hotel Dieu..."
I was in Paris, having a drink
at the Australian Embassy,
when somebody mentioned
Nicolas Baudin.
I'd never heard of him - but it
was almost as though he had
heard of me.
From that moment on, this
long dead French sea captain
haunted me. Wherever I went,
his name would crop up. And
though I heard a lot about him
there were bits missing in his
history - intriguing bits.
Then I was taken ill and
rushed into the emergency
ward of the Hotel Dieu..."
| Ordinary Seaman It was as a very ordinary seaman that I followed Baudin's route halfway round the world, serving on a coal-burning Greek tramp steamer, two hundred years later. |
Secret Societies
Nicolas Baudin was not only a daring sea captain
on a voyage of exploration for his Emperor
Napoleon, he was
also deeply involved
with secret societies
such as the Free
Masons and the
Society for the
Observation of Man.
Nicolas Baudin was not only a daring sea captain
on a voyage of exploration for his Emperor
Napoleon, he was
also deeply involved
with secret societies
such as the Free
Masons and the
Society for the
Observation of Man.
Captain Nicolas Baudin
Slaves to Landlords
In his early career,
Baudin traded in
slaves across the
Atlantic. In Australia,
he told his men to
respect the rights of
the Aborigines.
In his early career,
Baudin traded in
slaves across the
Atlantic. In Australia,
he told his men to
respect the rights of
the Aborigines.
