Ill-starred captains: Flinders and Baudin

by Anthony J. Brown

Ill-Starred Flinders and Baudin

Genres: History, Australia, Nonfiction

512 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Jaqui Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoroughly researched book that's well-written engaging and informative.
I learnt much about Flinders that I didn't know, not least of all the period of time he was detained on the Isle de France (for 7 years) that he died at the young age of
It's also fascinating to learn more about Baudin and the French exploration of Australia and the contest between the two captains and countries (France and England).
In addition, it's a great history lesson into the names of MANY of the places, ports, features around the Australian coastline, especially the west coast, around South Australia and up to Sydney.
Thoroughly enjoyable an enlightening read.

[Michael Pennington · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed it, and appreciated the original source material.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Ill-starred Captains: Flinders and Baudin' by Anthony Brown was a fascinating, enthralling tale of these two contemporary navigators and cartographers whose voyages had a lasting impact on Australia. The book is an extremely detailed account (using their journals, their personal accounts from the books they wrote and other contemporary records) of their discoveries against the rich tapestry of their ill-fated lives which bore a remarkable similarity: they were both excellent navigators, keen to map the as-then unknown south coast of Terra Australis. The author describes their lives as 'the unfolding of a Greek tragedy: they met in southern waters and shared charts, with Flinders naming the area Encounter Bay before they both completed the mapping of the coast; Baudin died at 49 on the Isle de France [Mauritius] on his way back to France, worn out after years of contempt and vitriol from his enemies, while Flinders was imprisoned there for 6 years as an alleged spy on his way back to England, then died at 40, three years after his return to a London that was more interested in the war between France and England than in scientific discoveries. Both captains lost the support of their sponsors and died ignominiously - to this day no-one is really sure where they were buried. Thoroughly engrossing. By using the two navigators' journals the reader feels they are there on the high seas, encountering the aboriginals, collecting botanical specimens, sharing the grief of lost seamen and the highs of discovery.