52 SIEGE OF THE SOUTH POLE 
undertaking a voyage of discovery in the vast seas which 
surround the south pole. His representations at Court 
were favourably received and he sailed from Lorient on 
May i st, 1771, furnished with very precise instructions 
for his guidance. He was ordered to sail southward 
from the lie de France (Mauritius) in search of “ a 
very large continent to the south of the islands of St. 
Paul and Amsterdam,” which was probably that reached 
by the Sieur de Gonneville who stayed there for six 
months in the year 1 504. If the Sieur de Kerguelen was 
fortunate enough to find the continent he was to seek a 
harbour, land and enter into commercial relations with 
the inhabitants. Since France had lost her splendid 
colony in Canada the colonial party were extremely 
anxious to find some new sphere for territorial expansion 
and, curiously oblivious of the empty expanse of Africa, 
they looked towards the south temperate zone, even 
making an attempt to colonise the Falklands, which was 
relinquished on account of claims to those islands pre- 
ferred by Spain. 
On January 16th, 1772, Kerguelen left the lie de 
France bound south with two ships, the Fortune under 
his own command, and a small vessel, the Gros Ventre, 
under the command of the Count de St.-Allouarne, con- 
fident of soon reaching Gonneville Land. On February 
1 2th a small island was sighted and the next day a more 
extensive land appeared. A storm separated the . ships 
and Kerguelen was prevented from landing, but the 
Count de St.-Allouarne went ashore in “ Sea-lion Bay ” 
in 49 0 40' S., and took possession of la France Australe. 
Bad weather and constant fogs made a longer stay in 
the neighbourhood dangerous, and being anxious to bring 
home the news of his success, Kerguelen returned to 
