L' ELISABETH 1741

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aukepalmhof
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L' ELISABETH 1741

Post by aukepalmhof » Mon Jun 21, 2010 8:49 pm

The Seychelles a cluster of islands in the Indian Ocean was know by the Portuguese in the 16th century and placed on charts of 1502. Most probably the Arab visited the islands before that time.
The Portuguese called the islands Seven Brothers or sometimes Seven Sisters.

The island remained uninhabited and apparently unvisited till 1742 when the Frenchman Lazare Picault and his ship the LE ELISABETH visited the group.

Could not find much on the French vessel LE ELISABETH.
She was built in Surat, India in 1735
She sailed in 1742 from Pondicherry, India to Ile de France (Mauritius) under command of Lazare Picault.
During the voyage he sighted and visited the Seychelles.
After arrival in Mauritius he informed the French Governor Le Viscounte Bertrand-François Mahé de La Bourdonnais his discovery.
He was sent back later by the Governor, on board the LE ELISABETH together with the SAINT CHARLES under command of Jan Grossin.
They landed on 11 November 1742, the principal island he named Mahé and the group, Iles de la Bourdonnais, what was changed in 1756. Named after Vicomte Moreau de Séchelles, at that time minister of finance in France under Louis XV, in Séchelles, now Seychelles.
After four days she sailed again from the island taken with him 300 giant tortoises and 600 coconuts.

Thereafter not any info on the LE ELISABETH found. Lazare Picault she index for more info on him.

Seychelles 1999 3R sg891, scott?

Source: http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/S/SE/SEYCHELLES.htm http://www.vanheygen.com/Silhouette/history.htm and other web-sites. Watercraft Philately Vol. 46/83.
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